






7 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.? 



j 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA . f 



r 



u> 



oV COHGRBSS 



V A 

SHORT TREATISE 

On the Antiquity, Institution, Excellency, Indul- 
gences, Privileges, etc., 

OF THE 

MOST FAMOUS AN ANCIENT CONFRATERNITY 

OF 

<®ut Mt$$zb Itatip of ^l&ount <£atmei, 

COMMONLY CALLED 

THE SCAPULAR: 

With a Brief Account of the 
DESIGN, RULES, AND CONDITIONS THEREOF. 



Mecum sunt divitiae, ut ditem diligentes me. 
With me are riches that I may enrich them that love me. 

Proverbs, viii, 

TO WHICH ARE ADDED 

A short relation of some of the many notable Miracles wrought 
by Divine Power, in favor of them that were vested with that 
honorable and Sacred Badge. 

TOGETHER WITH A 

NOVENA IN HONOR OF THE IMMACULATE 
VIRGIN MARY. 



PHILADELPHIA: 

PUBLISHED BY THOMAS P. COLGAN, 

No. 95 South Street, 

1847. 






■&«> 

$h^ 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, by 

THOMAS P. COLGAN, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Eastern District 

of Pennsylvania. 



Stereotyped by 

R. P. MOGSIDOE PHILAD'A- 

M. Fithian, Printer. 



TO THE 

AMERICAN CATHOLIC PUBLIC. 

In accordance with the advice of many judi- 
cious persons, including several friends, whose 
long standing and experience in the Catholic 
Book business, have well qualified them to 
judge of the wants of a Catholic Community 
in the book line, the Publisher has embraced 
this opportunity to send forth a work which he 
hopes will not only be pleasing to Almighty 
God and his blessed Mother, but calculated for 
the Spiritual welfare, and final salvation of all 
good Catholics. 

In presenting this little book, his first attempt 
in the publishing line, to the Catholics of 
North America, the publisher trusts that he has 
selected a work suitable to the wants of those 
who already lay claim to the virtuous title of 
" Brothers and Sister of the chosen orders of 
the most Holy, and Immaculate Virgin Mother 
of God of Mount Carmel, and one which will 
also be a guide to those who are sincerely de- 

(ui) 



IV 



sirous of preparing their souls for that great 
day, when time shall be no more, by entering 
the order of the Scapular, whereby they may 
receive those graces which the mother of God 
has said she will procure for those who de- 
voutly wear her precious gift, and piously repeat 
her divine office. 

To those kind friends, who have assisted him 
in his endeavors by their counsels and voluntary 
labors, he presents his heart felt acknowledg- 
ments, and that they may be recipient of the 
bounty of Almighty God, both spiritually and 
temporally is the fervent prayer of the 

PUBLISHER. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE. 
Preface --------- -7 

A short treaties on the Scapular. - _ - 15 

CHAP. 1.— A Narration of the Origin and progress of the 
Holy Order of Carmelites, in which the Confraternity 
of the Scapular is erected 21 

CHAP. 2.— Why the successors of the Prophets are called 
Brothers of the B. V. M. of Mount Carmel, and of the 
propagation of their order under the Gospel. - - 27 

CHAP. 3— How the Imaculate V. M. hath ever showed 
herself the singular Patroness and Advocate of the 
Holy Order of Mount Carmel ; and how She gave the 
Holy Scapular to St. Simon Stock. 37 

CHAP. 4. — Of divers Sorts of Persons that appertain unto 

the Confraternity of the B. V. ... 43 

CHAP. 5.— The 1st. Privilege of the Confraternity of the 

Holy Scapular. ------- 45 

CHAP. 6.— The 2nd Privilege of the Confraternity. - 45 

CHAP. 7.— The 3rd Privilege of the Confraternity. - 47 

CHAP. 8.— The 4th. Privilege of the Confraternity. - 52 
CHAP. 9.— Instructions how the Scapular is to be received 
and worn, and what is required to gain privileges 

annexed to it -------- 56 

CHAP. 10.— A Relation of miracles, &c. Of the Devotion 
of the seven Pater Nosters and Seven Ave. Marias, 
usually practised by the Brothers of Mount Carmel, - 66 
(Translated from the Spanish by the late very Rev. 
T. Coleman.) --------68 

Another form of Prayer for the Seven Joys of the Virgin 

Mary. ---------73 

Of Devotions for Wednesday. ----- 78 

1* 



VI CONTENTS. 

List of the Generals. _______ 83 

The office of the B. V. M. ------ 97 

Address to the Brothers and Sisters of the Venerable Con- 
fraternity of the B. V. Mary of Mount Carmel by the 
V. Rev. Prior and Author K. J. Colgan. 

Novena 1st. day. _._-■----_ 109 

Hymn of St. Simon Stock. _•--__ 113 

2nd. Day. -- 115 

Hymn & prayer & as page as - 109 

3rd. Day. -- -119 

Hymn & Prayer &c. as -----_ 109 

4th. Day. ---------- 122 

Hymn &, Prayer &c. as. -_-___ 109 

5th. Day. ---__,____. 125 

Hymn & Prayer &c. as ----_. 109 

6th, Day. - 128 

Hymn & Prayer &c. as. -■---•__- 109 

7th. Day. --------- 131 

Hymn &c. as the above - - 

8th. Day. 134 

Hymn & Prayer as above ------- 

9th. Day. --------- 138 

Hymn &, prayer. ----____ 



PREFACE. 



The work of our eternal salvation is a 
business of great importance, and the one 
thing necessary, of which our Saviour speaks, 
Luke x. 42. We ought solicitously to lay 
hold on all those means and helps, which God 
of his infinite mercy hath been pleased to 
furnish us with for the promoting of so mighty 
an affair, conformable to what the apostle ex- 
horts us to. 2 Pet. 1. 10, Qua propter fratres 
magis satagite, §*c. wherefore, brethren, la- 
bor the more, do whatever lies in your power 
by good works, to make sure of your vocation 
and election. 

Amongst many spiritual inventions which 
the Holy Ghost hath suggested to the church, 
and which now are in practice amongst good 
Catholics, that of religious confraternities, 
or sodalities, ought to be noted ; in which 
many pious persons united themselves toge- 
ther for God's glory, in the practice of vir- 
tuous and devout actions ; they do, in a very 
particular manner, of many members become 

(?) 



8 



one mystical body : insomuch, that each mem- 
ber is by mutual communication made par- 
ticipant of the prayers, sacrifices, fastings, 
alms, mortifications, and generally of all the 
good works and meritorious actions of all the 
other members ; from which common affinity, 
and communication, without doubt many great 
benefits doth accrue. For as in a well ranged 
army, each soldier in particular may easily be 
vanquished by the enemy, and nevertheless, 
by the general conjunction of them all, one 
with another, the files are rendered impene- 
trable, the battalions strong, and the army 
invincible. So, likewise it happens in the 
spiritual warfare of our souls against the devil, 
the world, and the flesh, our sworn enemies ; 
in which those that fight alone, one by one, 
although it be under Christ's banner, and that 
perhaps with much valor and generosity; 
nevertheless, every one is put to try his 
strength by himself to combat his adversaries 
hand to hand, and wrestle against his enemies 
with his own single force : whereas, in those 
holy confraternities, the ability of the one is 
so knit w r ith the ability of the rest, and the 
good works of all are so common to everyone 
in particular, that they are all fortified and en- 
abled not only by their own forces, but by each 
others strength and assistance : insomuch, that 
partly by the benefit which every one doth 



9 



reap from their own private endeavors, and 
partly by the great commodities that do arise 
out of this strict bond and connection with 
others : Persons do ordinarily in those devout 
congregations, make so great a progress in vir- 
tue in a short time, that they become not only 
invincible, but also formidable to their infer- 
nal enemies, and are known to abound with 
many celestial graces and benedictions, as 
our Saviour promises. — " Where there are 
two or three gathered together in my name, 
there I am in the midst of them." Matt. vii. 20. 
For this cause, good christians have so great, 
an esteem for those religious sodalities, that 
they are every w T here in Catholic countries, 
most generally frequented ; some enrolling 
themselves in the confraternity of the most 
Blessed Trinity ; others in that of the Rosary ; 
some take the Cord of St. Francis ; others 
join themselves to the sodalities of the Je- 
suits, or that of the Blessed Sacrament ; 
every one according to his particular devo- 
tion. But above all other confraternities, that 
of the blessed Scapular, or of the habit of 
the most blessed and ever glorious Virgin 
Mary, hath for these many years obtained 
the devotions of all people throughout the 
whole christian world ; insomuch, that all 
states, both secular and ecclesiastical, though 
eminent, have continually procured, and with 



10 

earnest affection desire to be invested with 
this sacred livery, and have worn it day and 
night, as a most precious and miraculous gar- 
ment, as an earnest pledge from heaven, for 
those that devoutly receive it, both of tempo- 
ral and spiritual graces : and also of eter- 
nal salvation, as the most holy Virgin pro- 
mised to her beloved son, St. Simon Stock, 
general of the Order of the Carmelites, by a 
supernatural revelation, in which she pre- 
sented him with the Holy Scapular of her 
Order, and a sign of her Confraternity, about 
the year 1251. See Carthegena, Horn. 4. Homil. 
de B. V. Maria de Monte Carmeli. 

Wherefore the singular prerogatives of this 
holy Confraternity of the Scapular, above all 
others, are first, that it is no human invention, 
but as the divines say, de jure Divino ; hav- 
ing its institution immediately from heaven. 
Secondly, that it is favored w 7 ith the singular 
protection of the Queen of Heaven, who is 
the patroness and advocate of this Confrater- 
nity. Thirdly, that it hath the promise of 
eternal salvation. Fourthly, it avails much to 
abreviate the expiating flames of Purgatory. 
Finally, ever since its first institution it hath 
been favored by Almighty God with many 
graces and miracles, insomuch, that by means 
of the sacred Scapular, the sick hath frequent- 
ly been resorted to their former health, per- 



11 



sons bewitched, and possessed by the devil, 
have been delivered. Women in travail have 
been miraculously assisted. This sacred ha- 
bit also hath appeased violent tempests, when 
it hath been cast into the sea by those that 
were in danger. Briefly, it is known by daily 
experience, that the Scapular is a sovereign 
preservative and remedy against all the evils 
of this life, both spiritual and temporal ; in- 
somuch that the devils many times have been 
heard to howl and cry most miserably, saying, 
wo to us, by reason of the sacred Scapular of 
the blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel. 

These are the motives that induced me to 
publish this little treatise on the effects of the 
holy Scapular, to the end that I might hereby 
communicate so great a treasure to the Catho- 
lics of England, to whom the devotion of the 
Scapular, or habit of the sacred Virgin seemed 
particularly to appertain, though at present 
they are totally ignorant of it. For of all the 
kingdoms of Europe, England was the first 
that admitted the religious men of the Order 
of the blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, 
when the persecutions of the Saracens obliged 
them to fly from Palestine, their native soil. 
Secondly, it was to an Englishman that the 
sacred Virgin gave the Scapular with her own 
hand. Thirdly, the apparition of the blessed 
Virgin appeared in England in the Carme- 



12 



lites Convent at Cambridge. Fourthly, it 
was in England that the Scapular wrought its 
miraculous effect. Finally, it was in England 
that the devotion of the Scapular had its be- 
ginning, the Confraternity of the most blessed 
Virgin being erected there before any other 
place in the world, with such a general con- 
course of people of all sorts, that even the king 
himself, Edward I. procured himself to be en- 
rolled in it, together with Henry, Duke of 
Lancaster, Henry, Earl of Northumberland, 
and many others of the chief nobility. The 
devotion and piety of our ancestors was con- 
tinued by their successors : and the English 
did ever signalize themselves by their singu- 
lar affection towards the immaculate and ever 
Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God, and 
towards her holy Order, and Confraternity of 
Mount Carme], until the general revolution of 
things, which happened during the reign of 
Henry VIII. when the nation banished true 
religion, and obedience to the See Apostolic, 
did also banish all sentiments of piety and de- 
votion towards the most glorious Queen of 
Angels. 

To the end, therefore, that this holy Con- 
fraternity of the Blessed Virgin, so ancient 
and profitable a devotion may at least after 
so long an exile, be revoked and called to its 
native soil, I will first of all declare briefly 



13 



the origin, progress, and succession of the 
Order of the Carmelites, to whom the Scapular 
was given by the Blessed Virgin. Secondly, 
I will relate the institution of the Confrater- 
nity erected in this order for all sorts of per- 
sons who will receive the Scapular. Thirdly, 
the privileges, favors, and indulgences of this 
Confraternity, shall be set down together, with 
the obligations of those that do enter into it. 

God of his infinite mercy grant that this 
small labor may succeed for his glory, to the 
honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Pa- 
troness of Mount Carmel, and finally to the 
eternal salvation of our souls. 



A 

SHORT 

TREATISE ON THE SCAPULAR. 



CHAPTER L 

A compendious narration of the origin and pro- 
gress of the Holy Order of Carmelites, in which 
the Confraternity of the Scapular is erected. 

The ancient and most famous order of the 
Blessed Virgin, was begun and founded on the 
Mountain of Carmel, about nine hundred and 
thirty years before the coming of our Saviour 
Jesus Christ; for which cause the Professors of 
the Order are commonly called Carmelites, 
taking their denomination, (as it hath happened 
to other Orders,) from the place where their in- 
stitutes were first founded. The institutor of it 
was the great Prophet Elias, who three times 
made fire to come down from heaven to punish 
the idolators ; who by his prayers, hindered rain 
for the space of three years — who was carried 
away in a fiery chariot, and is yet preserved 
alive, to come and preach before the day of 
judgment, the faith of Jesus Christ, against Anti- 
Christ, and his adherents. 

(15) 



16 



This holy Prophet, praying on Mount Carmel, 
(as is related, Kings, iv. 18.) saw a little cloud 
rise from the sea, which he knew from a prophe- 
tical notion to signify the glorious Virgin Mary, 
who was to spring forth out of the infected bitter 
sea of our corrupt nature without any corruption ; 
and like an auspicious cloud, being resolved with 
the force of the Holy Ghost's descent on her, she 
was to water this barren world with the hea- 
venly dew of the expected Messiah. Wherefore, 
by the express command of Almighty God, he 
presently began to institute a religious congrega- 
tion, which was to be dedicated to the honor of 
this sacred Virgin, as it is at large related by 
John, the 44th Patriarch of Jerusalem, de ortu 
monachorum, chap. 32. And for as much as we 
affirm Eliag to have been the author of monastic 
discipline, as it is asserted by many holy fathers, 
St. Jlthanasius in vita. St. Jlntonii, St. Hierom, 
Epis. ad Paulinum, which is, De institutions 
Monachi Cassianus, lib. 1. De origin cap. 15, 
and others. 

These disciples and successors of Elias, are 
named in the holy scriptures, sons of the Pro- 
phets. And they so much multiplied in a short 
time, that their glorious founder, before his trans- 
lation, (it is thought,) into the terrestrial paradise, 
had the consolation to see convents erected in 
Bethel, Jerico, Gilgal, and Samaria ; as may be 
seen in the fourth book of Kings, chap. 2. 

Elias being taken away in a whirlwind, Eliseus 
succeeded him ; not only in the double spirit of 



17 

prophecy and miracles, but also in the govern- 
ment of the prophetical order, as it is sufficiently 
expressed in the second chapter of the 4th book 
of Kings, in which he much augmented by his 
authority. In 4 Kings, chap. 4. special mention 
is made of the miracles that he did in favor of 
those that lived in Galgala ; and in the 6th chap- 
ter of the same book, we read how he went to 
erect a new house near the river Jordan, the order 
been grown so numerous, that their former houses 
would not satisfy to lodge them conveniently. 

After the death of Eliseus, Jonas the Prophet 
is affirmed by many to have had the general 
government of the order. This Jonas was the 
son of the widow Serepta, in Sidon, whom St. 
Elias restored to life, and afterwards he was his 
follower and individual companion, but according 
to others, Elias left the command to Jonadah, the 
son of Rechab ; and this is the cause that the 
sons of the Prophets are sometimes called in 
scripture Rechabites, of whom you may see 
honorable mention made. Jerem. chap. 35. 
But whoever governed, this is certain, that the 
successors of &&, Elias remained on Mount Gar- 
ni el until the coming of Christ, and even this 
very day they preserve in God's church, in the 
person of the religious Carmelites, who, by her- 
editary and never interrupted succession, des- 
cended from them, as most grave authors that 
have written do affirm. I will content myself to 
produce two or three testimonies for the defence 
of this truth : several Popes, namely, Sixtus IV. 



18 

Julius II. Gregory XIII. and Clement VIII. in 
their Bulls, granted to the order of the Carmelites, 
have divined and canonized this assertion, by 
these following words : " The sacred Order of 
the blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, which 
now flourisheth in God's church, and the profes- 
sors of it are the lawful successors of the holy 
Prophets, Elias and Eliseus." 

In the year 1282, certain prelates of the East 
being informed that the antiquity of the order of 
Carmelites were called in doubt, they wrote a 
letter to the Pope, dated the 23d September, in 
the city of Accon ; which is related by Walden- 
sis de Sacramentalibus, tit. 9. Chap.. 89. In this 
letter the Archbishop of Nicosia, the Bishop of 
Hebron, the Bishop of Tiberiade, and other pre- 
lates do attest, that this order flourished on 
Mount Carmel, and other places of the East from 
time immemorial. 

Many other testimonies may easily be produ- 
ced for verifying of this assertion, but I refer the 
reader to great, volumes which have been pub- 
lished concerning the same matter. And I will 
conclude, by showing what was formerly the 
opinion of our famous university of Cambridge 
concerning this point. The year 1374, a great 
dispute was excited here in England about the 
antiquity of the Carmelites ; who, as we will 
show hereafter, are called brothers and sisters of 
the blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel. For 
the deciding of this controversy, the University 
of Cambridge deputed several doctors, both of 



19 



divinity and of the canonical and civil law, 
amongst whom was John Donwick, chancellor 
of the University, and many other eminent and 
learned persons. 

After a long and serious examination of what- 
ever could be alleged on both sides, this learned 
and honorable assembly published the following 
decree in our favor : 

" We have heard the reasons and allegations, 
and moreover having seen, read, and examined 
the privileges, chronicles, and ancient writings 
of the said order of the blessed Virgin Mary of 
Mount Carmel, we pronounce, determine, and 
declare, (as it is manifested to us by the said 
histories, and other ancient writings,) that the 
brothers of this order are really the imitators and 
successors of the holy prophets, Elias and Eli- 
seus. Given at Cambridge, the 23d of Febru- 
ary, 1374." 

These sons of the Prophets, (for as much as 
concerns their life and conversation,) were so 
alienated from the world, so assiduous in prayer, 
so rigorous in their mortifications, and so exem- 
plary and laudable in their actions, that from the 
sanctity of their lives, they were in process of 
time named Esseni as Philo writes in his book, 
quod omnis prebus sit liber, and St. John Chry- 
sostom, 45, in Act. Apost. by these words : Es- 
seniid est sancti dicuntur, hoc enim vult nomen, 
Essenorum, a vitse honestate. Others call them 
Jlssidui, and under this title mention is made of 
them, 1 Mechab. 2, which name took its rise 



20 

from their assiduousness, and constancy to God's 
service, according to the opinion of Lyranus, who 
says, assidui dicti sunt ad assiduante cultus 
divini. Joseph, the famous historian of the 
Jews, lib. 6. Antiquit. cap. 13, says, that they all 
observed rigorous poverty, and had all things in 
common ; he makes mention of their chastity, 
obedience and silence. Plinus in the 5th book 
of his natural history, says the same ; and speak- 
ing of their chastity, relates, it is a wonder that 
they should persevere so many years without 
marriage or generation. And also the Prophet 
Jeremy, chap. 35, saith much in praise of the 
Rachabites, for their poverty, obedience, and ab- 
stinence. — Now that the Rachabites did apper- 
tain to the order and institute of Elias, 'tis learn- 
edly proved by Lazena, torn. 1. annal. ad annum 
mundi, 1189. Finally, Joseph, (the Jew,) affirms 
that these Esseni, (as he calls them,) were in so 
great veneration among the people, for their ad- 
mirable virtues, and piety and perfection of life, 
that they were commonly esteemed to have 
something above human nature. And Herod 
himself, who was grown to that height of impiety, 
that he seemed to condemn all other things how 
holy so ever, nevertheless he held these sacred 
persons in a great deal of honor and veneration : 
and this is the cause, (as I suppose,) that when 
the rest of the Jews were led captives to Babylon, 
in the time of Nebuchadnezar, these devout suc- 
cessors of Elias were permitted to retain their 
~-<^nt habitation of Mount Carmel, where they 



21 



happily and religiously lived and preserved till 
that time, whereon God chose to redeem the 
world, by the incarnation and death of his beloved 
Son, whose Virgin Mother lived at Nazareth, 
three miles only distant from Mount Carmel ; 
she did often visit these religious hermits, and 
honor them with her friendship and conversa- 
tion as the following chapter will relate. 



CHAPTER II. 

Why the successors of the Prophets are called 
Brothers of the blessed Virgin Mary of 
Mount Carmel, and of the propagation of 
their Order under the Gospel. 

The plenitude of time approaching in which 
Almighty God, moved with compassion towards 
mankind, had decreed to blot out the sins of the 
world by the most precious blood of his only be- 
gotten Son, our divine Saviour. This joyful 
news of our approaching redemption was by di- 
vine Revelation made known to some of the reli- 
gious followers of Elias and Eliseus, then living 
in the solitude of Mount Carmel, who, (above all 
others,) did most earnestly desire, and expect 
the nativity of that sacred Virgin, who was to be 
the mother of the desired Messiah, as they had 
been instructed by the holy Patriarch Elias : and 
it was kept as a certain tradition amongst them, 



22 

that their order was founded in honor and imita- 
tion of the most pure and immaculate Virgin, 
who was to be the sovereign princess and pro- 
tectress of it ; so that they had reason to aspire 
after the time of her birth. These happy tidings 
of Christ's approach, was, by the sons of the 
Prophets, communicated to Emerantiana, mother 
of St. Anne, and they gave her also assurance 
from heaven, that of her race should be born the 
Virgin, who was to be the mother of the Messiah. 
This motive induced her to embrace the state of 
marriage which before she rejected, and God 
Almighty was pleased in verification of what he 
had revealed to her by the religious of Mount 
Carmel, to bless her marriage with two daugh- 
ters, Sobe and Anne ; which Sobe was the mother 
of St. Elizabeth, of whom was born St. John 
Baptist; and St. Anne was the mother of the 
most sacred Virgin Mary, Mother of God, St. 
Syril, Palianidorus, Carthegena, and others, torn. 
1, Annals. 

St. Anne had her house at Mazareth, which is 
distant only three miles from that part of Mount 
Carmel, where the sons of the Prophet, (named 
Esseni, or Assidui,) had their habitation. Where- 
fore the most blessed Virgin, together with her 
mother, were wont sometimes to return thither ; 
and by reason of their virtue and sanctity, she 
took a singular delight in conversing and dis- 
coursing familiarly with them. She instructed 
them in many things that concerned our Sa- 
viour ; she comforted them in their adversities ; 



23 

she exhorted them to perseverance, and assured 
them of her assistance, protection, and prayers. 
On the other side, those heremitical fathers, 
knowing assuredly, that this was the Virgin 
whom the holy patriarchs, and Prophet Elias 
had foreseen above nine hundred years before 
she was born, under the figure of a little cloud 
rising out of the sea, in the form of a man's foot- 
step, and whom he had assigned for the advocate 
and protectress of their most holy order ; they 
dedicated themselves wholly to her, as her per- 
petual servants, children, and devotees, consider- 
ing her as the only refuge, advocate, and mother 
of their congregation. Tritemius de laudibus 
Carm. cap. 7, Carthagena, and others. 

A little after the birth of our Saviour, St. Eliz- 
abeth, fearing the tyranny of Herod, who had 
slain many thousand of infants, she fled with her 
son, St. John Baptist, into the Desert, where he 
joined himself to the successors of Elias, and em- 
braced the institute, as St. Ambrose expressly 
says, Epist. ad Varcel. ap. 14. From whom they 
being more fully instructed of the dignity and 
excellency of the blessed Virgin Mother of God, 
they much augmented their love and devotion 
tow r ards her, and were the first of all mortals that 
built a chapel or temple to her honor, whilst she 
was yet alive, about the year of our Lord 38, and 
that on Mount Carmel, near the place where their 
father, St. Elias, had seen the little cloud mount 
up out of the sea, by which she was represented : 
and in this chapel they daily met, and there of- 



24 

fered up their sacrifice, prayers, and petitions to 
the divine Majesty, in honor and under the invo- 
cation of the blessed Virgin, their mother ; sing- 
ing continually their praises, and wholly addict- 
ing themselves to her devotion ; whereupon they 
were called brothers of the blessed Virgin Mary 
of Mount Carmel, which honorable title the sa- 
cred Queen of Angels has approved of by mira- 
culous demonstrations, as shall be related in the 
chapter following. Also the sovereign bishops 
of Rome have confirmed it by their briefs, and 
adorned it with their Indulgences, Lastly, the 
quiet and peaceable possession of this title, during 
so many ages, hath made the Carmelites lawful 
possessors of it, so that, as during the time of the 
old law, they were named sons of the Prophets, 
from Elias, Eliseus, and Esseni, from their sanc- 
tity, Assidui, because of their assiduousness in the 
divine service. 

In the same manner, during the time of the 
Gospel, they are now called Carmelites, from 
Mount Carmel, where their institutions first began ; 
and they are named brothers and sisters of the 
blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, not only 
because of the chapel, which they first dedicated 
to Almighty God, under the invocation of her 
sacred name, but also because of the great fa- 
miliarity that they had with her when she lived 
upon earth, and for the singular affection and de- 
votion they have ever since retained towards this 
incomparable Lady. 

Whatever we have said is briefly contained in 



25 



the Lessons of the office of the Blessed Virgin 
Mary of Mount Carmel, which is wont to be 
celebrated by the order, on the 16th July. The 
same is affirmed by Joseph of Antioch. In spe- 
culo militae. cap. 12, John the 44th Patriarch of 
Jerusalem, de institutione Monach. cap. 57. Bap. 
Mantuan, lib. 3, Panthem Joan Bacon in com- 
pendio historiarum, and others. 

By the familiar conversation of the most blessed 
Virgin, and the preaching of St. John Baptist, 
many of the disciples of the holy Prophet Elias, 
were induced to embrace the faith of Christ. 
Nevertheless, a general conversion happened not 
amongst them before the feast of Pentecost, when 
the Gospel was solemnly promulgated by a visi- 
ble descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Disci- 
ples. Wastelius, torn. 1. Annal aparatu, proves 
this out of St. John Chrysostom, Theophilact, 
and others, which is to be understood of the suc- 
cessors of Elias, what St. Luke says, Acts 25. 
There were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, and re- 
ligious men of every nation under heaven. 

The occasion of their being in Jerusalem, was, 
that they had there two convents ; the one on the 
part of Mount Sion, which was called Milio, not 
far distant from the place where our blessed 
Saviour instituted the blessed Sacrament : The 
other was in the golden port, which is the place 
where Joachim and Anne, father and mother of 
the blessed Virgin first met, and consented to 
their future marriage. To these two houses the 
sons of the Prophets that lived at Mount Carmel, 

3 



26 

and other places of Palestine, were wont to re- 
sort at certain times of the year, that they might, 
(according to the law of Moses,) observe the 
solemn feast of the Jews : and there they were 
on the day of Pentecost, when that happened 
which is related. Acts 2, Wald. de sacrament, 
tit. 9. chap. 84, 1, 2. After their conversion, they 
were so zealous for the christian religion, that 
they joined themselves to the spotless, and were 
their assistants in the propogation of the faith and 
doctrine of Christ, as many authors attest : — 
Joannes Jeresol. cap. 88. Thomas Waldensis. 

This holy order continued always upon Mount 
Carmel, from the time of their first institution by 
St. Elias, until the year 1237, though they had 
endured and suffered great persecution from Cos- 
roes, king of Persia, Hamar, king of Arabia, and 
several other Saracens. So that the number of 
those who shed their blood for the faith of Jesus 
Christ is so great that a principal writer saith : 
count the stars of heaven, and you may count the 
saints of the order of Mount Carmel. Trithemius, 
cap. 12. de laudibus Carmelitarum. 

About the year 1237, when the Saracens, by 
reason of the discord among the Christians did 
waste the Holy Land, which Godfrid had taken 
out of their hands, in the year 1099. The per- 
secutions were so bloody and cruel, that there 
was no more hopes that they could dwell any 
longer in that country : whereupon they agreed, 
(by common consent,) that some religious should 
be sent into Europe, to make foundations, that so, 



I 



27 



by this means they might secure and multiply the 
order. Many came into England, others went 
into Cyprus, others into Marseilles in France, 
and others into other provinces. Shortly after, 
St. Lewis, King, returned from the Holy Land, 
and brought with him into France, six religious 
men of Mount Carmel, and caused a cloister to 
be built for them in Paris. From whence, some 
time after, several religious men went into the 
Low Countries ; and so this celestial vine, planted 
by the great Prophet Elias, and watered by Eli- 
seus, and by the blood of many thousand mar- 
tyrs, being plucked up out of Mount Carmel, 
began to spread its branches throughout all 
Christendom, under the favorable protection of 
the most glorious Virgin Mary, who ever has been 
careful to defend and preserve it, as the following 
chapter will demonstrate. 



CHAPTER III. 

How the immaculate Virgin Mary hath ever 
showed herself the singular Patroness and 
Advocate of the Holy Order of Mount Car- 
mel ; and how she gave the Holy Scapular to 
St. Simon Stock. 

The devil not being willing to suffer the in- 
crease of this holy order, resolved to try all his 
strength and machinations, in order to procure its 



28 

utter ruin, and to that end he stirred up many per- 
sons against it, who in various ways did molest 
the religious, and oppressed them with many in- 
tolerable grievances. For, the order being yet 
strange and unknown in Europe, they thought 
easily to excite their designs, which was totally 
to abolish and extinguish it. But these pious 
devouts of the blessed Virgin, had always re- 
course to Almighty God, through the intercession 
of their sacred advocate and patroness ; and the 
mother of mercy never failed to assist them in 
their most urgent necessities, as the following ex- 
amples will sufficiently make manifest. 

In the year 1216, Honorius III., being Pope, 
and St. Cyril of Constantinople, general of the 
order, a persecution was raised against it, under 
pretext that the rule of the order was not con- 
firmed, and, consequently, the order was not to 
be tolerated, according to the decrees of the La- 
teran Council, celebrated the year before, (1225,) 
under Innocent II. On the other side, those en- 
vious of the order, did maliciously endeavor by 
all means to hinder the confirmation of it. But 
the aforesaid Pope Honorius, to prevent all 
dangers, and to put a stop to these malicious 
proceedings, committed the examen of the busi- 
ness to two of his court, who being of them 
that had little affection for the order, did ex- 
pressly prolong and delay the determination of 
things. Then the glorious Queen of Angels to 
make known to the world the singular care she 
had of her Carmelite Order, appeared to Pope 



29 



Honorius in his sleep, environed with celestial 
splendor, and accompanied by many angels, 
having a severe and most majestic countenance, 
she strictly commanded him to take her devoted 
order into his protection, and to confirm the rules 
that was observed in it. Also, to insinuate how 
efficaciously and powerfully she had decreed to 
protect Mount Carmel, she added these words, 
'tis not to be contradicted what I command ; nor 
are things to be dissembled, when I am resolved 
to promote them. She moreover told him, that 
those of his court, who so maliciously deferred 
to conclude the business, should for punishment 
for their wickedness, both die miserably that 
night. The pope awakening out of his sleep, 
found that his two courtiers were dead, as the 
sacred Virgin had foretold him. Wherefore, 
with all diligence he sent for the Carmelites, and 
assembled the consistory of Cardinals, and punc- 
tually related whatever had happened to him ; he 
highly commended the holy religion of the Car- 
melites. He extolled the devotion of their glo- 
rious Princess, the ever blessed Virgin ; and he 
did most amply by his bulls, confirm the rule of 
the order, which he also enriched with many 
privileges, as may be seen in Carthagena, torn. 4, 
lib. 4. Lazena in annal, in this book de patron- 
atu Mariae ; where he cites many others. 

But the ever blessed Virgin never favored more 
her Carmelite Order than when she gave them 
her holy livery, or habit of the Scapular, by 

3* 



30 

which she declared them her domestics and fa- 
vorites. The thing happened as followeth : 

In the year 1245, St. Simon Stock, was chosen 
general of the order of the Blessed Virgin 
Mary of Mount Carmel. This holy man was 
born in the county of Kent, in the year 1163 : 
when he was twelve years of age he withdrew 
himself into a wood, where he lived for the space 
of twenty years in great austerity, and in the 
perpetual exercise of celestial meditations, having 
for his house the trunk of a hollow oak, from 
whence he was named Stock, and had for his 
food, roots, herbs, and sometimes bread, which a 
dog brought him in his mouth, especially on fes- 
tival days. 

In this solitude, Simon received many super- 
natural graces from the Almighty God, and es- 
pecially, he enjoyed the familiar conversation of 
the blessed Virgin, who, one day appearing to 
him, told him that shortly some religious men 
who were under her protection, were to come 
from Palestine to England, and that he should 
embrace their institute. 

This prediction of the sacred Virgin was veri- 
fied in the year 1212, when Sir Richard Grey, and 
Sir John Viscoy, returning from Palestine with 
the English fleet that was sent thither to succor 
the Christians against the Saracens, they brought, 
with them from Mount Carmel, two religious 
men, Rodolphus and Yno, who admitted Simon 
into their order ; where he so well employed his 



31 



time, that Anno Domini 1245, he was chosen 
general of the whole congregation ; which he 
governed with a great deal of prudence and sanc- 
tity, until the year 1265, when visiting the con- 
vents of his order in France, he ended his happy 
days in the city of Bourdeaux, where he lies 
buried in the cloister of the Carmelite's Convent. 

Of this holy man, Molanus, in his Martyro- 
logy, hath these words. In the city of Bordeaux, 
the nativity of the blessed St. Simon Stock, Car- 
melite, who was singularly dedicated to the ser- 
vice of the glorious Virgin Mary, whose life doth 
give a lustre to the Church of God, by the mul- 
titude of his miracles ; his life was written by 
Monaldus, Rolandus, Bouchier, and Nicholas 
Harlom, the most renowned writers of his time ; 
and this feast is celebrated by the order, the 10th 
of May. 

During the time that St. Simon was general, 
many persecutions were raised against our holy 
order, some opposing its privileges, others dis- 
liking the honorable title which they enjoyed, to 
be called the brothers and sisters of the blessed 
Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel ; and St. Simon 
suffered much for the defence of his order ; all 
which, nevertheless, he at last overcame by the 
particular assistance and favor of the most sacred 
Virgin, to whom he had ever recourse to in all 
his necessities, and she as a pious mother, never 
frustrated him in his expectations. But at last, 
seeing himself decline by old age, and consider- 
ing on the other side, that the enemies of the 



32 



order did dailv increase, he ceased not continual 
tears, to beseech the sovereign Empress of Mount 
Carmel, that she would not forsake her beloved 
religious, but that she would vouchsafe to take 
it under her singular protection, and adorn it 
with her favors ; seeing it was her order, which 
she had already honored with her sacred name, 
and was confirmed by several Popes, Honorius 
III., Innocent IV., Gregory IX., Alexander V., 
and others. He composed many prayers and 
anthems in honor of the glorious mother of 
God, which ejaculating very often with great 
fervor towards heaven, he deserved to be gra- 
tified with the precious pledge which he left to 
his posterity, the holy Scapular of the blessed 
Virgin, received from her hands in the manner 
following : 

As he was upon his knees in the oratory, the 
most glorious Virgin, environed with celestial 
splendor in the company of many thousands of 
angels, appeared to him, and holding the sacred 
Scapular in her hand, she said to him these words : 
Receive, most beloved son, the Scapular of thy 
Order, a sign of my confraternity, a privilege 
both to thee and to all Carmelites, in ivhich he 
that dieth shall not suffer eternal fire ; behold 
the sign of salvation, a safeguard in danger, the 
covenant of peace, and everlasting alliance. 

Having said these words, she left the sacred 
habit in his hands, and vanished. This happened 
on the 16th day of July, A. D., 1251. in the Car- 
melite convent of Cambridge, which like that 



33 



of London, went by the name of Whitefriars, 
so called, because of the white upper gar- 
ment that those religious do ordinarily wear. 
But of this more shall be said in the following 
chapter. 

The same year, (1251,) another persecution 
was excited against our religious, by the pastors 
and curates of the parish churches, who would 
fain have hindered them from saying the divine 
office, and from burying their brothers and sisters 
in their own houses. Our general had recourse 
to his ordinary refuge, the immaculate Virgin 
Mary, and commanded public prayers to be made 
to her throughout the whole congregation. The 
sacred Virgin appeared to him as before, and com- 
manded him to send two religious men to Rome, 
to Innocent IV., who then sat in the chair of St. 
Peter, whom she promised should take the de- 
fence and protection of her order against those 
impugnators. St. Simon executed punctually 
this heavenly order, and obtained the aid and 
assistance of the See Apostolic, by four ample 
briefs, which the said Innocent IV. granted to the 
order, as the blessed Virgin had promised our 
general, Arnoldus, Bostius de Patronatu Mariae, 
cap. 5. — Thrithemius, lib. 1, de laudibus carme- 
lit. cap. 9. Anno Dom. 1316, the sacred empress 
of Mount Carmel confirmed the truth of the vision 
made to St. Simon Stock, concerning the sacred 
Scapular, and adorned her religious with new and 
admirable privileges, viz. : 

Clement V. being dead, the sacred college of 



34 

Cardinals met, first at Carpentea, then at Lyons, 
in France, in order to elect a successor. But it 
was prolonged more than two years, partly by 
dissention among the Cardinals and by the wars 
in Germany, England, France, and Italy, which 
was the cause of a great schism in the church ; 
whereupon, one of the Cardinals, James Arnald, 
a Frenchman, of the province of Aquitain, a great 
devout of the blessed Virgin Mary, had recourse 
to this Mother of Mercies, beseeching that she 
would, by her intercessions, obtain from her Son 
a worthy pastor for the church, and such a one 
would remedy these disorders. The blessed 
Virgin appeared to him and promised to place 
him in the chair of St. Peter, and also to assist 
and deliver him from all his enemies, on this con- 
dition, that being made sovereign prelate of the 
church, he should be favorable to her religious, 
the successors of Elias ; and that he should pub- 
lish and confirm on earth, what Jesus Christ, her 
beloved Son, at her request, had confirmed in 
heaven ; to wit, That those who should make 
themselves religious of her order of Mount Car- 
mel, or should, out of devotion, enter into the 
confraternity of the blessed Virgin, and wear her 
habit, should be absolved from part of their sins ; 
and if after death they should go to purgatory, 
that the most sacred Virgin would interfere for 
their deliverance ; supposing that during their 
lifetime they had fulfilled certain conditions which 
shall be set down in the ninth chapter. 

This promise and prediction of the mother of 



35 



God was fulfilled; first, when Anno Dom. 1316, 
he was made Pope, under the name of John 
XXII. , and secondly, when (in the year follow- 
ing) he was delivered from a conspiracy of some 
Cardinals against him, and from being poisoned. 
Thirdly, (Anno Dom. 1320,) when the Antipope* 
Corburious, adjourned his schism. 

Wherefore, the Pope, to accomplish on his 
behalf, what the blessed Virgin required of him, 
he caused a bull to be published, which we call 
Bulla Sabbatina, dated the 3d of March, 1322, 
in which he related the apparition of the blessed 
Virgin made to him whilst he was yet a Cardinal, 
and consequently, he confirms the said indul- 
gence, and very much magnifies the protection 
of the immaculate Virgin, over the order of 
Mount Carmel, to which he ever after remained 
much affected, as his favors to us do abundantly 
testify. 

Anno Dom. 1317, happened that which is ref- 
lated by Francis Potel, in his book de Origine 
and Antiquitate Ordinas Carmel, and by Lazena 
De Patronatu Mariae ; the sum of the thing is 
this : — In the city of Chester, there was a con- 
vent of the Carmelites, who, (according to their 
ancient custom,) named themselves brothers of 
the blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel. This 
glorious title offended many citizens ; insomuch 
that they could not endure the religious, but mur- 
mured and spoke many injurious and contempt- 
ible words against them, saying that they were un- 
worthy of this name, and that they were rather 



36 

brothers of Mary the Egyptian, than Mary the 
mother of God. But our glorious advocate un- 
dertaking the defence of the holy order, as she 
had ever been wont to do, within a few days, 
many of those persons were punished, several 
dying suddenly, others falling into divers diseases 
and afflictions, so that a scourge from heaven 
seemed to have fallen upon the place, whereupon 
the Abbot of St. Bamburge, who was governor 
of the city, both spiritual and temporal, ordered 
that a solemn procession should be made to 
appease God's wrath. In this procession, 
amongst other religious, the Father Carmelites 
were also present ; who passing by a wooden 
statue of the most pure Virgin Mary, which was 
held in great veneration, many of them bowed 
down their heads and saluted the said sacred 
Virgin, saying Ave Mariae. At the same time 
the statue did bow down its head and saluted 
them again, and stretching forth a finger which 
before was doubled, pointed to the religious Car- 
melites, did with a distinct voice pronounce 
three times these words : Behold these are my 
brothers. 

Finally, when by continuance of time this 
sacred order was fallen from its ancient rigor 
and observance, the sacred Virgin often appeared 
to our holy mother, St. Teresa, exhorting her to 
undertake the reformation of it, and suggesting 
the means how to effect it, as this saint declares 
in her life. She also told her what delight she 
took in this holy order, and what service Teresa 



37 



would render her in reducing it to its former 
rigor and observance* 

These examples of the favor and protection of 
the blessed Virgin over the order of Mount Car- 
mel, and many others which I omit for brevity 
sake, do sufficiently convince how justly this 
order doth claim this sacred princess for their 
singular advocate and patroness. 



CHAPTER IV, 

Of divers sorts of Persons that appertain unto 
the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin. 

Before I speak further of the sacred confrater- 
nity, founded upon the holy Scapular, which the 
blessed Virgin gave with her own hands to St* 
Simon Stock, general of the Carmelites, and iri 
his person to all the order, and to all the whole 
church of God, it will not be from my purpose 
to tell you that there are several sorts of persons 
who fight under the standard and livery of the 
most blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel ; 
they may be all reduced to four classes, whereof 
two are religious, and do consecrate themselves 
to the service of God, by the vows of the Angel- 
ical Councils, the other two are not. 

In the first class are to be placed men and 
women who live in monasteries, and have all 
things in common, observing the ancient rule of 

4 



38 



the Carmelites, of whom we have already proved 
that they are lawful successors of the holy Pro- 
phets Elias and Eliseus. 

The sacred rank is of these whom we com- 
monly call Tertians, or the third order ; who 
living in the world do endeavor to observe the 
rule of the order, as much as their state and con- 
dition will permit, and consequently, they imitate 
others who live in communities, in the color of 
their clothes, the time of frequenting the sacra- 
ments, in the manner of praying, and finally, in 
all their abstinence, penance, and mortifications, 
all according to the advice and prescriptions of a 
prudent director. 

Of the third order of the blessed Virgin Mary 
of Mount Carmel, mention is made in the bull of 
Sixtus V., which begins thus, Dumattentiva me- 
ditationes, fyc, wherein it gives full power to all 
the superiors of the order, to admit what persons 
they shall judge fit to the habit of Tertians, and 
consequently, in the same bull, his holiness makes 
all that wear it, participant of the privileges, im- 
munities, favors, and indulgences of the whole 
order of Carmelites. 

This institution, or manner of living, hath pro- 
duced many persons of most rare virtue and 
sanctity ; among others the blessed Angel Laudo 
Arena Paula Villa Franca, Maria del Aquila, 
Joanna Oliverie, and also Frances de Yopes, a 
person of known sanctity in Spain, and brother 
to the divine contemplative, and doctor of mystic 
divinity, John of the Cross, lately beatified by 



39 



Clement X. This person, I say, took publicly 
the habit of the third order of the blessed Virgin 
Mary of Mount Carmel at Medina, and make his 
profession in it : and after the long practice of 
heroic actions, and the working of the most pro- 
digious miracles, which are related in the history 
of his life, he rendered up his happy soul to his 
Creator, leaving the world embalmed with the 
sweet odours of his most admirable virtues. Of 
the venerable Virgin Angela de Arena Carthagena, 
lib. 17, Homiliarum Homil. 3, writes out of Sil- 
vester Maurolicus, a Cistercian Abbot, that she 
having a resolution to become a Tertian of 
another order, the night before she was to exe- 
cute her design, she saw in a vision a ladder, 
whose top reached up to heaven, and two saints 
of the order of Carmelites appearing to her, and 
told her that if she desired by this ladder to 
mount up to heaven, she should become a Ter- 
tian of the order of the blessed Virgin Mary of 
Mount Carmel. Whereupon she changed her 
former resolution, followed this celestial admoni- 
tion, and died in a great opinion of sanctity in 
Sicily, on the 2d of October, 1556. 

The other two institutes which are annexed to 
the holy order of Mount Carmel, are sodalities, 
or confraternities, and for distinction sake, we may 
name the first, the sodality of the order ; the 
second, the confraternity of the Holy Scapular. 
By the first, we may make persons participants 
of all privileges, indulgences, prayers, fastings, 
disciplines, watching and other good works, and 



40 



spiritual treasures of the order. This is done 
by letters of filiation, as they call them ; for as 
in a temporal republic, the magistrates have pow- 
er to incorporate into their body whom they think 
fit, and to dispose of their earthly dominions, so 
in spiritual congregations, the superiors have au- 
thority to dispose of their spiritual riches, and 
apply them to whom they think good, they being 
authorised thereunto by Gregory V. who died in 
the year 909, Alexander II. Clement III. and 
other Popes, in their briefs granted to the Order. 
The second, which we made the confraternity 
of the Holy Scapular, and of which alone all 
our future discourse will be, is (as we have al- 
ready said,) grounded upon the words of the most 
Blessed Virgin spoken to St. Simon Stock, and 
upon the sacred habit which she gave him as a 
sign of confraternity and powerful protection. 
Those that enter into this congregation, do at the 
same time enter into a participation of the pro- 
mise made by the Mother of God, to them that 
die invested with her sacred livery, which is (as 
we have said in the former chapter,) to be deliv- 
ered from the eternal pains of hell fire, from the 
temporal pains of purgatory shortly after their 
decease, and to enjoy many other privileges 
which are contained in the words of the Blessed 
Virgin to St. Simon Stock. For the words and 
promises of the Virgin did not only concern him- 
self, and the religious men and women of his 
order, but also, all persons whatsoever, who out 
of devotion to the Blessed Virgin, do wear the 



41 



Scapular, and so become members of her con- 
fraternity. This may be verified by several ar- 
guments. 1st. Because several Popes have ap- 
proved the erecting this confraternity indifferently 
for all persons to enter into it, of which number 
they themselves have often been. 2dly. John 
XXII. relating in his sabbatine bull, the appari- 
tion of the Blessed Virgin to him, sets down 
some of her words, which so evidently convince, 
that the privileges of the Scapular are not only 
for the Carmelites, but for all that wear it. 

3dly. We find by daily experience that the 
devouts of the Scapular do enjoy the favor and 
protection of the sacred Virgin, whether they be 
ecclesiastical or secular. 

Finally, a most efficacious argument, to con- 
vince this truth is gathered from what St. Simon 
Stoek did. This holy man received the Scapular 
from the Blessed Virgin, and consequently, he 
knew very well what her meaning was, and 
nevertheless he gave his precious livery to many 
out of his order, who, during their life, did all, by 
a happy experience, learn the efficacy and power 
of it. Moreover the first miracle we read of 
done by the Scapular, was by a layman ; and 
because the thing happened there in England, I 
will relate briefly the story. 

On the 16th of July, which is the very same 
day on which the Blessed Virgin gave her Sca- 
pular to St. Simon, this venerable prelate went 
to Winchester, about some business he had with 
the bishop of that place; he was no sooner 

4* 



42 



arrived there, but the dean of St. Helen's church 
came to him, and beseeched him that he would 
vouchsafe to come and assist a brother of his, 
named Walter, who lay dying in despair of his 
salvation, insomuch that he would not hear of 
God, or of sacraments, but continually invoked 
the devil, that he would revenge himself of a 
person who had mortally wounded him. Our 
holy general went presently with his own com- 
panion to see this miserable man, whom he found 
deprived of all use of reason, grinding his teeth, 
and rolling his eyes in a most hideous manner. 
After he had recommended him to Almighty 
God, he made on him the sign of the cross, and 
gave him the Scapular ; which he had no sooner 
done, but the sick man returned presently to 
himself, he detested the devil, with whom he 
made a contract ; he begged pardon of Almighty 
God with great signs of true sorrow and contri- 
tion. He earnestly desired to confess his sins, 
and to receive the other sacraments of the church, 
which being done, he died the same night. But 
the dean being in doubt of his brother's salvation,, 
because of his wicked life ; the dead man ap- 
peared to him, and assured him, that by means 
of the habit, wherewith the general of the Carm- 
elites had invested him, he had escaped the 
snares of the devil, and eternal damnation. 



43 



CHAPTER V. 

The first Privilege of the Confraternity of the 
Holy Scapular. 

Hastinus, a learned author in Disquisitionibus 
Monastic, lib. 3, n. disq. 5, hath well said, that 
the Holy Scapular was given, not only for a vest, 
but also for a breast-plate or helmet against all 
the darts of our spiritual enemies ; for our 
Blessed Saviour, by the intercession of his Vir- 
gin Mother, hath annexed to it so many graces, 
favors, privileges, that it may be verified what is 
said upon another occasion. Ap. 2. No man 
knows them but he that receives them. It would 
require a long discourse to treat exactly on all 
these privileges ; therefore I will content myself 
to put down briefly the principal. We said in a 
former chapter, that two confraternities are an- 
nexed to the holy order of Mount Carmel ; to 
wit, that of the third order, and that of the Scapu- 
lar, insomuch that the devouts of this sacred 
livery are partakers of the prayers, discipline, 
alms, watchings, fasts, mortifications, austerities, 
and good works, which are done in the holy 
order of Carmelites. 

This privilege ought the more to be esteemed, 
because this devout and observant congregation 
hath abounded with many most pure souls, so 
that it must needs be very advantageous to parti- 
cipate of their prayers and good deeds ; Clement 



44 



VII. out of a singular devotion he had to this 
holy confraternity, hath extended this communi- 
cation further, that hath made brothers and sis- 
ters of the confraternity of the Scapular partici- 
pants of all pious actions, which are done 
throughout the whole church of God. More- 
over, Sextus VI. granted to the devouts of the 
Scapular, all the privileges, indulgences, graces, 
and favors, which are granted to the cord of St. 
Francis, to the Rosary of our Blessed Lady, or 
to any other confraternity whatsoever ; so that 
they do enjoy them as much as if tiiey were 
really members of those sodalities, by reason of 
their communication in privileges with the order 
of the Carmelites. The members of this confra- 
ternity do enjoy that honorable title of being 
called brothers and sisters of the Blessed Virgin 
Mary of Mount Carmel ; and they are taken un- 
der the special protection of this sacred Queen 
of Angels, as persons particularly appertaining 
to her, and as it were, her domestics, clothed in 
her livery. Wherefore, without doubt, this 
powerful advocate will not fail to aid and assist 
them, both in their life, and at the hour of their 
death, obtaining from them a happy intercession, 
which both appear by an infinite number of mir- 
acles wrought in favor of the brothers and sisters 
of this confraternity, whereof some are related in 
the tenth chapter of this treatise, and many others 
are yet done by Lazena de Patronatu Mariae, 
chap. 5, where you may read how the sacred 
Virgin hath miraculously obtained for most ob- 



45 



durate sinners, time and grace to repent and con- 
fess their sins, because they wore her livery. 
For, as St. Thomas teaches, 1, 2, p. 31, art. 3 : 
Grace and virtue imitate the order of nature, 
which hath this property, atid every agent doth 
act most powerfully on that subject which is 
nearest to its virtue. Thus Almighty God, whose 
nature is goodness, and whose ways are mercy, 
doth communicate himself more abundantly to 
these angelical spirits, which are nearly related 
to him; as St. Denis de Ecclesiastical Hierar. 
chap. 7, and many others of the holy Fathers do 
testify. In the same manner the Mother of God 
doth enlarge her gifts and graces, as well spiritual 
as temporal, more plentifully and abundantly on 
those who have contracted any particular alliance 
or conjunction with her, as here they of the con- 
fraternity of the Scapular do by several titles 
they claim in this sacred Virgin for their only 
Princess, Patroness and Advocate. 



CHAPTER VI. 

The second Privilege of the Confraternity. 

Another benefit or privilege of this confrater- 
nity of the Scapular, is contained in these words : 
he that dieth investeth with this habit shall not 
suffer eternal fire : which is as much as to say, 
that the Scapular is a great help in order to ob- 



46 

tain eternal felicity. The same thing was re- 
vealed to Pope John XXII., as he relates in his 
Bulla Sabbatina, and to the Blessed Angela de 
Arena, who was told by two saints which ap- 
peared to her, that ii* she desired to mount up to 
heaven, by the mystical ladder which she saw in 
a vision, she should forthwith receive the Sca- 
pular. Also, Don John de Vesiques relates in 
the life of the venerable Francis Yopes, who died 
in a great opinion of sanctity, the year 1617, 
that amongst many other things which superna- 
turally were revealed to him, he learned that the 
holy Scapular was one of the greatest adversaries 
that the devil had in the world, for great were 
the number of souls which he lost by the means 
of it. The Rev. Father Alphoso, a Matre Dei, 
writes : That in the City of Quanena, during the 
procession of the holy Scapular, which is made on 
the third Sunday of every month, the devils were 
heard to execrate the holy Scapular with many 
howlings and outcries, lamenting themselves, that 
by means of this sacred habit of the Blessed Vir- 
gin the gates of hell were shut to many persons. 
But you must note, that this promise of the 
Blessed Virgin, whereby she obliged herself, that 
none should suffer hell fire who died in her livery, 
is not to be understood in such a manner as if all 
those should be absolutely saved, for as much as 
on the behalf of our Blessed Lady, who in virtue 
of the alliance contracted with them, will obtain 
of God such particular graces which they make 
use of, they will easily arrive at eternal salvation. 



47 



Wherefore, if any that wear the Scapular come to 
be condemned, it will be his own fault, he having 
not co-operated on his part with God's assistance, 
but rendered himself obstinate and rebellious to 
the divine inspirations which the Blessed Virgin, 
by her powerful intercession, had obtained for 
him. In the same manner, are to be understood 
the words of our divine Saviour : he that believ- 
eth and is baptized, shall be saved. Mark 16. 
Whosoever shall invoke the name of the Lord 
shall be saved, for as much as concerns the nature 
of faith and happiness. For here is signified, 
not so much the effect as the strength and nature 
of the thing to which the promise is annexed. 
See Maldonatus in cap. c. Joan ver. 54. 



CHAPTER VII. 

The third Privilege of the Confraternity. 

The third privilege of the Scapular is that which 
we call Bulla Sabbatina, and it consists in this, 
that the most immaculate and ever Virgin Mary 
doth assist her devoted brethren after their de- 
cease in freeing them speedily from the horrible 
pains of purgatory, especially on the first Sun- 
day after their death, which day being dedicated 
by the church to her honor, she is then wont 
more liberally to bestow her favors. This pri- 
vilege had for its security, the promise of the 



48 



Blessed Virgin, made to Pope John XXII. by 
these words : The}' that out of devotion shall 
enter into my confraternity, if after their death 
they go to purgatory, I that am the Mother of 
Mercy, will descend the first opportunity after 
their decease, and by my prayers and interces- 
sions, will help them hence, and conduct them to 
the holy mountain of celestial glory. The truth 
of this promise of privilege cannot now reason- 
ably be called in doubt, seeing it hath oftentimes 
been approved by Popes, admitted by good Ca- 
tholics, and examined and authorised by the most 
famous universities, colleges and schools of Chris- 
tendom : as by the university of Cambridge in 
England, in the year 1754, by that of Bologna 
in Italy, the year 1600, and lastly, by that of 
Salamanca in Spain. It was published first by 
John XXII. and that by express command from 
heaven, as he himself declares in his bull, which 
we called Salatipa, and thus begins : Sacratissimo 
uti culmine, given at Avignon, the 3d of March, 
1322. Alexander I. confirmed this brief of John 
XXII. in the year 1409, and also many other 
chief pastors after him as Clement VII. Pius V. 
in his bull Superna Dispensatione, given the 
year 1556. Gregory XIIL in his bull atUt Lande, 
in the year 1579, and all the congregation of the 
inquisition at Rome, under Pius V. after a long 
and accurate examine of this privilege, and after 
the apparition made to John XXII. confirming it, 
published the following decree confirmative and 
decisive. It is permitted to the fathers of Car- 



49 



melites to preach, that christian people may be- 
lieve the help of the souls of the brothers and 
sisters of the most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount 
Carmel, to wit, that the Blessed Virgin in her 
continual intercessions, and by her pious suffer- 
ings, merits, and special protection, will help the 
souls of the brothers and sisters departed in 
charity, especially on the first Saturday after their 
decease, supposing, that during their lifetime they 
did wear the habit of the Blessed Virgin, and 
for their state did observe chastity, and did say 
the little office of the Blessed Virgin, or if they 
could not read, did observe the fasts of the 
church, and abstain from flesh on Wednesdays 
and Saturdays. 

Finally, this doctrine is inserted in the lessons 
approved by the church, for the feast of the so- 
lemn commemoration of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 
celebrated by the order of Carmelites, on the 
16th of July, where we read these words : " Not 
only in this world our Blessed Lady has beatified 
with many prerogatives this order, so acceptable 
to her, but also in the other world, (she every 
where being in great power and mercy,) doth 
favor those that are enrolled in the society of 
the Scapular, for whilst they are purged by the 
fire of purgatory, she doth comfort them with 
maternal affection, and by her prayers doth very 
speedily bring them into the celestial country, as 
piously believed." The excellency and greatness 
of this privilege will easily appear, if we consider 
how horrible the boiling torments of purgatory 

5 



50 



are, according to St. Gregory, St. Augustine, St. 
Bernard, and others, they are not any way to be 
compared to the pains of this life, nor to those 
that the holy martyrs did endure, and St. Thomas 
saith, that they do exceed the pain which Jesus 
Christ suffered in his holy passion, which not- 
withstanding, were the most cruel and bitter that 
ever any creature endured in this life, over and 
above, they are not torments for an hour or a day, 
as those of this world ; but they may, and do 
last twenty, thirty, or a hundred years ; from 
these fearful torments the devouts of the holy 
Scapular are exempted, if they perform what shall 
be put down in the tenth chapter, and die invested 
with the holy habit, and in the state of grace. 

Lest any one should think that our blessed 
Lady promised more than she can perform, when 
she granted this or any other favor to her sacred 
order and confraternity, it will not be from my 
purpose to explicate briefly what authority she 
hath, and how she is able to assist us, either in 
this world, or in the future. For the clearing of 
this difficulty you must understand that Jesus 
Christ, God and Man, hath an immense and ab- 
solute power over all things both in heaven and on 
earth, as he himself said to his apostles. Mat. 28. 

All power is given to me both in heaven and 
upon earth — he is absolute Lord, and has the key 
of death, of hell, and purgatory. Apoc. 1. No 
pure creature has this prerogative— it is a juris- 
diction reserved to him only : insomuch that 
neither the Father doth judge any, but hath given 



51 



all judgment to his Son. John 4. Nevertheless, 
though all this be true, it is a Catholic proposition, 
that the most sacred Virgin Mary, by particular 
authority, granted to her as Mother of Jesus 
Christ, can do much in all things, where mercy 
doth contend with justice. 

Wherefore, St. Anselme saith, lib. de excel, 
virg. There is no doubt but the Blessed Virgin 
Mary, by maternal right is with Christ president 
of heaven and earth. St. John Damascus, Orat. 
2. de Assump. saith, it is fitting and convenient 
that Mary should possess what is her Son's, and 
Barbertu assures us, that she is able to obtain 
more than all the angels and saints in heaven ; 
and more than all the church throughout the 
whole world. Lastly, this is the doctrine of St. 
Jerome, explicated by St. Bernard, torn. Serm. 
Art. cap. 10. 

Hence we may infer, how the Blessed Virgin 
can free the souls of her devouts out of purga- 
tory, and fulfil her other promises made to the 
brothers and sisters of the holy Confraternity ; to 
wit, by a power communicated to her from her 
Son. For she being really Mother of the word 
incarnated, there is in all propriety due to her a 
certain power : or as others say, a dominion over 
all things, as well spiritual as temporal, to which 
the authority of her Son doth extend itself. 

So that she had by natural right of maternity, 
a dower almost like that of her Son, in which 
she may serve herself as often as she shall think 
good. Relying therefore, on this her participated 



52 



power, and on the efficaciousness of her merits, 
and intercession, she promises the devouts of her 
holy habit to free them from temporal pains of 
purgatorial fire, and from many dangers and ca- 
lamities of this life, as well spiritual as temporal. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

The fourth Privilege of the Confraternity. 

The following benefit of the confraternity of 
the Scapular, doth consist in the great multitude, 
and variety of indulgences, wherewith the sove- 
reign bishops of Rome have honored and adorned 
it, but that I may not exceed the limits of an 
abridgment, I will only set down a few of the 
principal. 

I. Paul V. of blessed memory, hath granted to 
all the faithful of either sex, on the day of their 
entrance into this confraternity, a plenary indul- 
gence. 

II. On the day of the solemn commemoration 
of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount C arm el, 
which is the 16th of July, for those that having 
confessed and communicated, to pray for the ex- 
altation of our holy Mother, the Church, for the 
extirpation of heresies, and the union of christian 
princes, a plenary indulgence. 

III. At the hour of their death, having con- 
fessed and received, invoking with their mouth, 



53 



or if they cannot, with their heart, the holy name 
of Jesus, a plenary indulgence. 

IV. Whoever shall abstain from flesh on Wed- 
nesdays and Saturdays, shall gain every time a 
three hundred indulgences. 

V. Every time that they shall say the office 
of our Blessed Lady, one hundred days' indul- 
gence. 

VI. As often as they shall serve at mass, or 
other divine offices in the church or chapel of 
the Carmelites, one hundred days' indulgence. 

VII. As often as they shall assist at procession, 
which is made for those of the confraternity, on 
the third Sunday of every month, if they con- 
fess and communicate, and pray for the ordinary 
necessaries as above, a plenary indulgence. 

VIII. As often as they shall say seven Paters 
and seven Aves, in honor of the seven joys of 
our Blessed Lady, forty days of indulgence ; if 
you desire to know these joys, they are as fol- 
lows : 

1. The joy she had at the annunciation of the 
angel, when she conceived the Son of God. 

2. The joy that she had when she visited St. 
Eliza, and was called by her the mother of God. 

3. The joy that she had at the nativity of our 
Saviour, when the angels sung, glory be to God 
in the highest. 

4. The joy she had to see her Son adored by 
three kings. 

5. The joy she had in finding her infant Jesus 
in the temple among the doctors. 



54 



6. The joy she had at the glorious resurrection 
of our Blessed Saviour. 

7. The joy she had in her assumption, when 
she was exalted above all the choirs of angels. 

The above mentioned indulgences are given 
only to those that wear the holy Scapular: but 
the following are for faithful christians. 

1. Urban VI. hath given to all christians, as 
often as they shall call the order of the Carme- 
lites the order of the Blessed Virgin Mary ; or 
shall call the Carmelites brothers and sisters of 
the said Virgin, three years' indulgence. 

2. Pope Leo IV. hath granted to everyone 
that shall visit any church or chapel of the Car- 
melites at Christmas, Easter, or Whitsuntide, on 
the feast of St. Peter and Paul, the Assumption, 
Nativity, Annunciation, and Purification of our 
Blessed Lady ; the feast of 'All-Saints Day, the 
two feasts of the Holy Cross, and the Nativity 
of St. John the Baptist : on any of these days, 
seven years' indulgence, and as many quaran- 
tines. 

3. Innocent IV. hath granted forty days of in- 
dulgence to all those that visiting the Carmelites, 
say there one Pater and Ave for the living and 
the dead. 

4. Clement VII. in the year 1530, Pius V. and 
Gregory XIII. have granted to all faithful chris- 
tians, that visiting some church or chapel of the 
Carmelites, and saying seven Paters and Aves, 
for the ordinary ends ; they may gain the indul- 
gence of the station of Rome, as well if in effect 



55 



they did visit the churches of the stations of 
Rome. 

5. Paul V. in the year 1622, granted a plenary 
indulgence to all those persons, who having con- 
fessed and received, should visit our church on 
the day of our holy mother, St. Teresa, which is 
the 5th of October. 

6. Gregory XV. at the instance of the vener- 
able Father Dominick of Jesus Maria, general of 
our order, granted a plenary indulgence to all 
those who say five Paters and Aves, and the Salve 
Regina, in honor of the most Blessed Virgin for 
the five necessities. 

1. For those that are in danger to commit some 
mortal sin. 

2. For those that are fallen into mortal sin. 

3. For those who are afflicted, troubled, sick, 
and such like. 

4. For those that are agonizing and dying. 

5. For the souls in purgatory. 

This indulgence may be applied to the souls 
in purgatory also. 

Those that visit our churches, and pray for the 
ordinary necessities may free a soul out of pur- 
gatory every Wednesday throughout the whole 
year, on All Souls Day, on other days, when they 
may free a soul by visiting the stations at Rome. 

But because indulgences have frequently been 
revoked, it will not be amiss to assure the reader, 
that the above mentioned are in full force, as ap- 
pears by the bull of Clement X. which begins 
Commissa nobis divitinus, dated May 8th, 1678, 



56 



whereby these, with many more, (after a most 
accurate examen of them by the learned Cardinal 
Bona,) were amply confirmed. 

Besides so many indulgences, the see apostolic 
hath granted another favor to the brothers and 
sisters of this confraternity, which is, that they 
may be absolved once in this life, and also at 
their death, from all excommunications, censures 
and cases, reserved to the Roman bishops, and 
from others as often as they please, by any con- 
fessor approved by the ordinary. 

Finally, Clement VII. who granted the former 
privilege to the devouts of the Scapular, hath 
granted to all persons who would bestow an alms, 
though ever so small, upon any of our churches, 
convents, or religious, that they may be partakers 
of all the prayers, suffrages, masses, alms, pil- 
grimages, and penances, which for that time shall 
be done throughout the whole church. 



CHAPTER IX. 

Instructions how the Scapular is to be received 
and worn, and what is required to gain the 
privileges annexed to it. 

We have briefly declared the origin of this 
confraternity, together with the profits, privileges 
and benefits of it, it remains only that we give 
instructions how the Scapular of our blessed Lady 



57 



of Mount Carmel, which is the badge of the con- 
fraternity, is to be received, and what the obliga- 
tions are of those who wear it. 

Those, therefore, that desire to put themselves 
under the protection of the most immaculate and 
ever Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, and to enjoy 
the aforesaid privileges, by entering into the con- 
fraternity of the holy Scapular, must first be ad- 
mitted thereunto by some superior of the order 
of the Carmelites, or by some other religious of 
the same order, that hath commission from the 
superior to admit persons. The Scapular must 
be blessed, and given with the prayers and cere- 
monies, which are designed for that purpose ; 
also, according to the laudable custom of our holy 
order, the name of those that receive the Scapular 
are to be written down in the book of the con- 
fraternity. 

The Scapular must be made of cloth, serge, or 
other stuff, and not of silk, though it may be lined 
with silk, or embroidered with gold, or silver, it 
must be of a brown or tawny color : the reason 
of this is, because it is worn in honor of the most 
blessed Virgin Mary, of whom it is attested by 
Baronius, torn. 1. annal Carthagenia, torn. 2. 
homin. 4. and by others, that she never wore silk 
but woollen, and that of the native color — so 
Epiphanius, lib. 2. cap. 23. saith, the clothes she 
(the Blessed Virgin) wore, were of the native 
color, which both appear by the veil of her head ; 
in this therefore, it is meet, that the devoted chil- 



58 



dren of the Blessed Virgin Mary should imitate 
their good mother. 

We said even now, that when any one enters 
first into the confraternity, it is necessary that the 
Scapular should be blessed ; but if that comes to 
be lost or worn out, another may be taken, which 
need not be blessed. 

The Scapular is to be worn continually day 
and night, and never to be taken off till death ; 
also, it is good to be buried with it. The broth- 
ers and sisters may wear it about their necks, 
not in their pockets, or in their girdle, nor folded 
in their breasts, for it being a Scapular, must be 
worn in the form of a Scapular, that is to say, a 
vest, or habit, that hangs over the shoulders. 

This and no more is required to be a member 
of the holy confraternity of our Blessed Lady's 
Scapular, and to participate with the order of 
Mount C arm el in all the privileges above men- 
tioned ; except it be that which we speak of in 
the seventh chapter, so that to be a member of 
this confraternity, it is no way necessary to abstain 
from flesh on Wednesdays, or to say the Office 
of the Blessed Virgin, for this is done to enjoy 
the privileges of the Sabbatine Bull. Neither is 
there any obligation at all of saying seven Paters 
and seven Aves, which is only to gain the indul- 
gence granted by Paul V. But as I have already 
said, it sufficeth that the Scapular be received 
lawfully and worn devoutly without any other 
obligation. 



59 



Nevertheless, to be partakers of the privilege 
which is explained, chap. 7, viz. to be freed out 
of purgatory, which is a thing apart, not commu- 
nicated to any order or confraternity, and called 
by us the privilege of the Sabbatine Bull, they 
must observe what follows : 

1. They must observe chastity, every one ac- 
cording to his condition, which doth not hinder, 
but that they may lawfully marry, but as long as 
they are married, to gain this privilege, it is ne- 
cessary that they preserve themselves from all 
impurity ; if they are married, they are not only 
to observe carefully the fidelity and faith of wed- 
lock ; but if they are not engaged in that state, 
the virgin is obliged to preserve virginity, and the 
widow continency. 

2. If they be illiterate persons who cannot 
read, they must observe all the feasts of the 
church, and abstain from flesh Wednesdays and 
Saturdays throughout the whole year, except the 
nativity of our blessed Saviour happen to fall 
upon one of those days, for then they may eat 
flesh. 

What we have said of those that cannot read 
is also to be understood of those, who, though 
they can read, do not understand the office of the 
Blessed Virgin ; and also of them that cannot 
perform the said office by reason of their contin- 
ual occupations, as it happens to many servants, 
workmen, and others, that have public or labori- 
ous employments, to whom the reciting of the 
divine office is wholly impossible. All these 



60 

must abstain from flesh on Wednesdays and Sa- 
turdays, if they do desire to enjoy this privilege 
of the Sabbatine Bull. 

The reason why we abstain from flesh on Wed- 
nesdays is : because on that day our divine Sa- 
viour, the only begotten Son of our gracious 
Princess and patroness was treacherously sold 
by his own people for thirty pieces of silver ; as 
St. Clement, Pope and successor to St. Peter, 
doth assure us in his Apostolical Institutions, lib. 
5, cap. 14, and for this cause in the primitive 
church, the faithful did fast on Wednesdays, as 
besides St. Clement, Loco citato, many do affirm 
Origin in cap. 10, Livet, St. Ignatius, Mart. St, 
Augustine, Theophilactus, &c, cited Thomas 
Sarce, part 5, sol. 220, to accompany the mortifi- 
cation of our blessed Lady, we mortify ourselves 
on that day by abstinence from flesh, relying on 
the promises of our powerful advocate, that in 
recompense of this good work, we shall be com- 
forted the first Saturday after our death, with the 
most sweet meat of eternal glory, at the table of 
our sweet Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. 

But for the better understanding of what we 
have said concerning abstinence from flesh on 
Wednesdays and Saturdays, 

1. Though any one be obliged to make absti- 
nence on those days by vow, penance, or the 
like, it will notwithstanding, serve to gain the 
privilege. 

2. Children, that by devotion of their parents 
have received the habit, are not obliged to do any- 



61 

thing until they are seven years old, and yet they 
may gain the aforesaid privileges. 

3. Though the church doth not oblige persons 
to fast until they are two-and-twenty years old, 
yet if they will obtain this privilege, they must 
begin to observe the fasts of the church before 
they come to that age. 

4. If any one by sickness, or being with child, 
or giving suck, &c, cannot observe the fasts of 
the church, nor abstain from flesh, nevertheless, 
they shall gain the same privilege. The same is 
to be said of the poor who have not wherewithal 
to buy things necessary, must eat what they can 
get. 

If on Wednesdays any one be upon a journey 
and cannot get anything but flesh, or if he be 
invited to dinner by a friend, or doth work in 
another man's house, where they all eat flesh, if 
he fears to trouble or offend those of the house, 
he may for that time set his devotion aside, and 
not therefore lose the privilege. The same I say 
of those who are subject to another, as wives, 
children, and servants, when the master of the 
house is not well contented. Hieron Gratianio 
in disciplin, Christ, part 3. cap. 7. ver. 3. 

Thus much concerning the obligation of those 
that cannot read, and nevertheless, would enjoy 
the privileges of the Sabbatine Bull. Now as for 
those that are well able to read, it is necessary 
that every day they say the great or little office 
of our blessed Lady, according to the custom of 
the holy church, which if they perform, they 

6 



62 



may freely eat flesh on Wednesday, and not be 
deprived therefore of any grace which the Blessed 
Virgin hath promised to her favorites — wherefore 
it is a manifest error, that some affirm, viz. that 
whosoever do wear the Scapular, is obliged to 
abstain from flesh on Wednesdays and Saturdays ; 
whereas this obligation is only for them that say 
not the office of the Blessed Virgin, and never- 
theless are desirous to enjoy the privileges of 
being soon freed out of purgatory, as it doth evi- 
dently appear by the words of our blessed Lady 
to John XXII. and related by him in the Sabba- 
tine Bull. But concerning the office of the 
Blessed Virgin, here is to be observed : 

1. That if any one doth say the office of the 
breviary, because he is in holy orders, or by 
reason of some other obligation, that is sufficient 
to gain the Sabbatine privilege, without saying 
the office of the Blessed Virgin. Strat. cap. 12. 
n. 15. 

2. The office which is said, may be according 
to any other Roman, Carmelite, or Dominican, or 
Greek, or according to the custom of every one's 
country, or community. 

3. When there is reasonable cause, it is law- 
ful to change the saying of the office into absti- 
nence from flesh on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 
or into any other pious work, with the license 
of a spiritual father ; and if any one happen not 
to have the conveniency of a spiritual father, he 
may change it himself, conformable to what di- 
vines do commonly hold concerning the mutation 



I 



63 



of vows. Lazena in Mariae Paton. cap. 12, 21, 
24. 

4. If any one can neither say the office of our 
blessed Lady, nor abstain from flesh, nor do any 
other work equivalent by reason of his many 
employment, sickness, or some other impedi- 
ments, nevertheless, he need not therefore omit 
to enter into this confraternity : for as we have 
said already, he may gain all the other privileges, 
only by devoutly wearing the Scapular. 'Tis 
also very probable, that such a one will not be 
deprived of the Sabbatine favor, when our blessed 
Lady seems to insinuate when having assigned 
the conditions requisite for the granting of it, 
she added these words : " if they be not hindered 
by some lawful cause." Thomas a Jesu, lib. 2. 
Confrat. Theo. Strat. cap. 12. n. 19. 

5. If any one voluntary and without cause at 
all, merely through negligence or human frailty 
should omit the office of our blessed Lady, or 
eat flesh, or should chance to fall into some im- 
purity, with condition they rise again, and pur- 
pose for the future to serve all that is required, 
they will not be deprived of this privilege. 

6. Finally, concerning whatever we have said 
in this chapter, it is to be noted, that none of the 
conditions assigned do oblige under sin, either 
mortal or venial. It is true those that omit the 
divine office, or commit any unchaste action, may 
by reason of some other obligation, offend God ; 
but the fault is not any way aggravated, because 
they are of the Scapular, for neither the Blessed 



64 



Virgin Mary, or the sovereign Bishop of Rome, 
nor the prelates of the order of Mount Carmel, 
did ever impose any obligation upon the devouts 
of the holy Scapular, under pain of sin. 

By what hath been hitherto said, the judicious 
reader may easily conclude what is to be said, 
both concerning the antiquity of the order of the 
Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, and con- 
cerning the first institution and excellency of the 
famous confraternity of the holy Scapular. Like- 
wise the brothers and sisters of this confraternity 
will find here sufficient instructions how they are 
to behave themselves, and what privileges or 
graces they may enjoy at present, and hope here- 
after, which is the end of this treatise. 

Wherefore I will conclude with what is related, 
4 Kings, 5, 13. Naaman the Syrian, who was 
infected with leprosy, was told by Eliseus the 
prophet : go and wash in the Jordan seven times 
and thou shalt be clean ; but he contemning to 
follow this advice, as a thing that would not at all 
avail him, was emphatically exhorted thereto by 
his servant, in this manner : if the prophet had 
bid thee some great thing, thou oughtest to have 
done it : how much rather then, when he said to 
thee wash and be clean — I say the same at pre- 
sent, concerning the sacred habit of the Scapular, 
If our blessed Lady had bid us do some great act, 
we ought to do it ; how much rather than when 
she saith : wear my livery and you shall not 
suffer eternal fire! If she had enjoined us to 
make great abstinence ; to undergo some rigorous 



65 



mortification, or to undertake a long and tedious 
pilgrimage, with this condition, that we should 
be freed from eternal damnation ; from the tor- 
ments of purgatory, and from the many dangerous 
events which easily do befall us in this life : right 
reason would dictate to us, that we ought to at- 
tempt any thing for the obtaining of so great a 
good : how much more then, when she had 
annexed these and many more extraordinary 
graces, to the reception only, and devout wearing 
the holy habit of the Scapular, with a final con- 
fidence in her holy protection ? But you will 
perhaps with Naaman object, what does such a 
weak thing avail us, as the Scapular is ? To this 
I answer with the apostles — 1 Corinth, i. 27. 
The weak things of the world hath God chosen, 
that he might confound the strong. He that made 
choice of this weak element of water to wash us 
from original sin, which is so deeply indicated in 
us by the prevarication of our first father, Adam, 
hath made use of the weak habit of the Scapular 
to produce those excellent effects which are men- 
tioned in the chapter following : 

It is no new thing to Almighty God to make 
use of the clothes and garments of saints, in order 
to the effecting of prodigious things. The man- 
tle of our holy patriarch, St. Elias, divided twice 
the water of the Jordan — 4 Kings, 2. The 
shadow of St. Peter did cure all diseases — Acts, 
5, 15. 

The handkerchiefs and napkins of St. Paul did 
drive away all evil spirits, and heal all sorts of 

6* 



66 



infirmities, (Acts, 19, 12,) nevertheless, our Sa- 
viour did never so frequently concur with the 
relics of any saints, to the effecting of such like 
things, as he had done with the sacred habit of 
his Virgin Mother ; which he seems to have made 
choice of, that he may thereby demonstrate to the 
world both the efficaciousness of her intercession 
and the height of her merits and glory. For 
during these four hundred years, ever since the 
time of St. Simon Stock, most miraculous and 
extraordinary things have been, and daily are 
done throughout the whole christian world, by 
the intercession of the most Blessed Virgin Mary 
of Mount Carmel, and by means of her sacred 
Scapular. Wherefore, courteous reader, seeing 
thou hast at hand so easy and efficacious a way 
of promoting, both by the spiritual and temporal 
goods, thou wilt if thou art wise, forthwith make 
use of it, if thou dost not, it cannot be attributed 
but to the negligence of that important affair of 
thy salvation, which thou oughtest principally to 
mind ; and if thou comest at last miserably to lose 
thyself, God will have just cause to object against 
thee, what he objected against the Israelites. 
Osea, 14, 9, thy perdition is on thyself. 



CHAPTER X. 

A Relation of Miracles, fyc. 
The last privilege of those that are enrolled in 



67 



the confraternity of the sacred Scapular, is con- 
tained in these words of our blessed Lady to St. 
Simon Stock, Ecce signum salutis salus in peri- 
culis : and it is a perpetual safeguard from all 
manner of perils, as well by sea as by land ; a 
protection and defence against fire, thunder and 
lightning : many tempests have been appeased 
by the Scapular ; many fires have been quenched ; 
many sorts of infirmities have been cured ; griev- 
ous contagions have been overcome ; the devils 
have been put to flight ; and it is the most speedy 
and efficacious remedy against witchcraft, fasci- 
nations and enchantments that can be found. All 
this may be manifested by several examples. 

If the pious reader desire to know of them par- 
ticularly, he must repair to greater volumes, which 
treat of this matter. Amongst others, Lazena de 
Palron Maria?, cap. 5, 9, and Theophilus Ray- 
mundus, of the society of Jesus, in the scapul. 
carthag. carm. cap. 6, hath many examples of 
those that hath been freed from the devils, from 
fire, water, wild beasts, sickness, witchcrafts, 
danger in child-bed, from pistol shots, and many 
other ill accidents, by means of the Scapular. 
But it may suffice to convince us, with how much 
reason Laurentius a Sancto Victore had said : 
happy are they that are clothed with the habit 
and mantle of the Blessed Virgin ! and so I con- 
clude this devout treatise, which 1 dedicate to the 
glory of God. 



68 



Of the Devotion of the Seven Pater Nosters 

and Seven Ave Marias, usually practised by 

the Brothers of Mount Carmel. 

[Translated from the Spanish, by the late Very Rev. T. 
Coleman.] 

Many are the acts of devotion used by the 
brothers and sisters of the Carmelite Order, to 
honor and reverence their Mother and Patroness 
the Virgin Mary. Among these is the devout 
recital of Seven Pater Nosters and Seven Ave 
Marias, in memory of the seven principal prero- 
gatives with which the blessed soul of the great 
Queen of Angels is honored and exalted in heaven 
by her most divine Son Jesus Christ. The pure 
Virgin herself made known to the world how 
dear to her heart this devotion is, when she ap- 
peared in person to the glorious martyr, St. 
Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury in England, 
and condescended to instruct him with her own 
mouth. 

This holy prelate, as a special votary of the 
mother of God, was accustomed to offer his de- 
votions to her every day with particular affection, 
making mention of the seven principal joys which 
she had in this mortal life, viz. : — 

1. When the King of heaven entered her 
chaste womb to take on him human flesh. 

2. When, without affecting her virginity, she 
brought him forth. 

3. When thirteen days after that she saw three 
kings of the east adoring him, and offering him. 
tribute, as true God and true man. 



69 



4. When she heard the holy old man Simon, 
declaring him to be the true Messiah and Saviour 
of the world. 

5. When she found him among the doctors in 
the temple disputing, to the astonishment of all 
of them. 

6. When she saw him raised from the dead 
immortal. 

7. When, finally, she saw him rise glorious 
and triumphant into heaven. 

This saint, according to the relation of Bustio 
in his Mariale ; being one day among others 
practising this holy devotion, there appeared to 
him visibly, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and speak- 
ing kindly, pronounced the following words : — 

"It gives me, my dear Thomas, no slight plea- 
sure, that you honor me by addressing me in 
memory of those pleasures which I formerly had 
in the world, but know that your devotion will 
be much more acceptable to me, if you make 
mention of the seven principle delights among 
the many others my heart enjoys above in 
heaven." 

Such was the origin of this devotion, so pleas- 
ing to our Lady the Blessed Virgin, and after- 
wards so much divulged and disseminated in the 
hearts of the faithful. In order, therefore, that 
all who profess the devotion of Mount Carmel 
might embrace it with greater fervor, Paul V., 
sovereign Pontiff, of happy memory, granted 
forty days' indulgence on each day, to all those 
who being registered in the confraternity of the 



70 

Carmelites, and wearing the blessed Scapular of 
the Blessed Virgin, should recite every day seven 
Paters and seven Ave.s, in memory of the above 
mentioned seven delights that she enjoys in glory 
in paradise. 

From which circumstance the greater part of 
the brothers have taken up the belief that the re- 
cital of the seven Pater Nosters is an indispen- 
sable obligation on those who wear the Carmelite 
Scapular, so that if they wish to enjoy the indul- 
gences, privileges and participations in the spiri- 
tual blessings, they must recite every day, these 
Pater Nosters and Ave Marias, and these are 
called by many, not to say by all, the Pater 
Nosters of the habit : and such great force has 
this opinion got in the minds of some, that they 
sometimes accuse themselves in confession of 
having transgressed the obligations of the confra- 
ternity of Mount C arm el, by not reciting the 
Pater Nosters of the habit, which recital they be- 
lieve to be sufficient to satisfy all their obliga- 
tions. 

This opinion is a manifest error, for no one is 
obliged to observe, that, as an obligation which 
is only an act of simple devotion, there being no 
obligation that the person wearing the Scapular, 
should recite every day these seven Pater Nosters* 
because, as was said, it is merely a simple act of 
devotion, through which the brothers gain forty 
days' indulgence granted by Paul V. 

We ought not, however, to disregard the recital 
of these Paters as well to gain the indulgence as 



7L 



to do what is pleasing to the Virgin Mary, mother 
and special protectress of the Carmelites, as it is 
a devotion that gives so much delight and plea- 
sure ; but the brother imagining himself present 
before her, should recite them with great atten- 
tion and devotion, in the honor and memory of 
her joys, and this is sufficient to obtain the in- 
dulgence. But, whoever through a greater devo- 
tion would wish to render this spiritual exercise 
longer and more devout, may do so by inter- 
spersing the following prayers between the Pater 
Nosters in this manner : 

Making the sign of the Cross, he will say — 
" In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
of the Holy Ghost." Amen. 

1. Rejoice, O Spouse of the Holy Ghost, and 
I rejoice with you ! for that happiness which you 
now enjoy in heaven : because, by your purity 
and virginity you are exalted above all angelic 
choirs. Oar Father, fyc. Hail Mary, <fyc. 

2. Rejoice, O true Mother of God, and I re- 
joice with you ! because, you alone have merited 
to sit at the right hand of your most holy Son, 
nearest the throne of the holy Trinity* Our 
Father, #c. Bail Mary, fyc. 

3. Rejoice, O daughter of God, and I rejoice 
with you ! because, all the hierarchies of angels, 
and all the blessed spirits, honor, revere, and 
acknowledge you as the mother of their Creator, 
and, at every, the smallest sign, are most obedient 
to you. Our Father, fyc. Hail Mary, fyc. 

4. Rejoice, O handmaid of the most holy 



72 

Trinity ! and I rejoice with you, because, as the 
sun here illumines the whole world, so you by 
your presence, illumine and make resplendent 
the whole of paradise, and are the source of high 
content to those happy nations. Our Father, fyc. 
Hail Mary, fyc. 

5. Rejoice, O most serene princess ! and I 
rejoice with you, because, you enjoy this delight 
of having always your will united, and conform- 
able with the will of his divine Majesty. Our 
Father, fyc. Hail Mary, fyc. 

6. Rejoice, O refuge of sinners, and comfor- 
ter of the afflicted ! and I rejoice with you, be- 
cause, all the favors you ask of your divine Son 
are granted to you, or rather none are granted 
here below on earth, but what pass through your 
most holy hands. Our Father, fyc. Hail Mary, fyc. 

7. Rejoice, O mother, daughter and spouse 
of God ! and I rejoice with you, because, all the 
joys, contentments and favors you possess in 
paradise will never be diminished, nay, rather 
will be augmented daily until the day of judg- 
ment, and will last for all ages of ages ! Our 
Father, fyc. Hail Mary, fyc. 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to 
the Holy Ghost ; as it was in the beginning, is 
now, and ever will be, world without end. Amen. 

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God ! 

R. That we may be made worthy of the pro- 
mises of Christ. 



73 



Let us Pray. 

O Loud, we beseech thee, that the glorious in- 
tercession of the Blessed Virgin may protect us 
and bring us to eternal life, through Christ our 
Lord. R Amen. 

V. Us with our pious offspring, 

R. May the Virgin Mary bless, R. Amen. 



Another form of Prayer for the Seven Joys of 
the Virgin Mary. 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

1. In this first joy I am consoled, O most 
holy and miraculous Virgin of Mount Carmel, 
conceived without the stain of original sin ; by 
contemplating you all full of gladness, in as much 
as you not only were filled with joy here on 
earth at seeing yourself elected true Mother of 
God our Creator, but also still rejoicing at pre- 
sent in heaven at seeing yourself, by your more 
than angelic purity, exalted above the glory of all 
the Seraphims. Our Father, <^c. Hail Mary, fyc* 

2. In this second joy, I exult, O sovereign 
Queen of the skies ! conceived without the stain 
of original sin, in contemplating you, because, 
you not only were filled with joy, when here on 
earth, without any pain, or in the least defiling 

7 



74 

your immaculate virginity, you brought forth as 
the Sun, the true Light of the world, but also are 
still rejoicing at present in Heaven, because you 
ornament the whole of Paradise with your glories 
and beauties. Our Father, fyc. Hail Mary, fyc. 

3. In this third joy. I contemplate, O Mary, 
Virgin and pure Mother of Mount Carmel ! con- 
ceived without the stain of original sin ; the glad- 
ness and joy you received on earth on seeing 
your infant Jesus adored by the kings of the east, 
as the true God of the universe, and yourself re- 
verenced by them as his blessed Mother, and 
\vhich moreover, you still enjoy in Heaven, for 
all the Hierarchies of those high spirits, the 
saints and the blessed, honor, revere, and ac- 
knowledge you as the true Mother of the Crea- 
tor, and are most obedient to every sign of 
yours. Our Father, fyc. Hail Mary, fyc. 

4. In this fourth joy, I contemplate you, O 
Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel ! conceived with- 
out the stain of original sin, full of extraordinary 
joy, not only because you were rejoiced here on 
earth at seeing your dearly beloved Son raised 
from death to life immortal ! to whom his Eternal 
Father conceded power in Heaven, in earth, and 
in the abyss, but also because you rejoice at pre- 
sent in Heaven at seeing yourself the dispenser 
of all the graces you ask for your supplicants, 
and obtain from your beloved Son. Our Father, 
fyc. Hail Mary, tyc. 

5. In this fifth joy, O most happy Mother of 
God, Mary of Mount Carmel, conceived without 



75 

the stain of origiual sin ! I exult in, the content- 
ment you experienced here on earth, when you 
saw your blessed Son ascend into Heaven to sit 
there as king of glory at the right hand of his 
Eternal Father, and which you also experience 
at present in Heaven, by seeing yourself seated 
in majesty as Queen, at the right hand of your 
most holy Son Jesus. Our Father \ fyc. Hail 
Mary, #-c, 

6. In this sixth joy, O blessed Virgin Mary 
of Mount Carmel, conceived without the stain of 
original sin ! I contemplate you enriched with 
blessings, in as much as you saw yourself filled 
with the gifts of the Holy Ghost to a greater de^ 
gree than the Apostles, for you are the purest 
and highest of created beings, after your beloved 
Son Jesus Christ, true God and true Man ; and 
this joy you at present possess, for under your 
protection are all sinners ; particularly those who 
dev utly wear on them your Holy Habit, through 
which the great God, and also you yourself have 
deigned to grant in this life so many favors 
and singular privileges. Our Father, fyc. Hail 
Mary, fyc. 

7. In this seventh joy, O glorious Queen of 
the Universe, Mary of Mount Carmel, conceived 
without the stain of original sin ! I revere you, 
greatly rejoiced at seeing yourself assumed both 
soul and body into Heaven, and there crowned 
Queen of Glory by the three Divine Persons, 
with whom you show yourself filled with all the 
graces that can possibly be granted to a mere 



76 



created being, and this joy you at present have in 
Heaven, since you see that all the favors, privil- 
eges and pre-eminent concessions made to you, as 
daughter, spouse, and mother of God, from the 
first moment of your pure conception, will never 
be diminished, but will endure for all eternity. 
Our Father, fyc. Hail Mary, fyc. 

Monstra te esse Matrem, 

Sumat per te preces, 

Qui pro nobis natus, 

Tulit esse tuus. 
O ! Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, dearest 
Mother of God, Queen of Angels, Advocate of 
Sinners, Comforter of the Afflicted, extend, O 
glorious Virgin ! the ear of your pity to the pray- 
ers of me your most humble servant, and grant 
me by your grace, to be in the number of those 
whom you love and keep inscribed in your vir- 
ginial bosom. Purify my heart, O immaculate 
Virgin ! from every sin ; take away, and banish 
from me all, every thing that can offend your 
chaste eyes ; purge this soul of its affection for 
earthly and sinful goods, and raise it to the love 
of celestial and everlasting blessings, and cause 
that this may be my whole study and diligence ; 
pray to your Son, O Holy Virgin ! for me now, 
always, and at the hour of my death, and in that 
tremendous and awful day of judgment, and when 
I shall be obliged to render an account of my ac- 
tions, that by your means I may be able to es- 
cape the eternal flames. Do not withdraw your- 
self from me, O blessed Virgin ! since with the 



77 



liveliest affection, I this day give my soul and 
body to your pity : do you direct me and defend 
me from all the ills and dangers of this world, 
and deign to intercede for me with your divine 
Son, that he (and I thank your intercession for 
it,) may grant me the pardon of all my sins, for 
which I smite my breast as a token of my grief 
and true repentance for having offended a Being 
so infinitely good ; may He instil into me a lively 
faith, firm hope, and ardent charity, and the grace 
of the Holy Ghost, through which I may be en- 
abled to perform his holy will, and may he deign 
by his mercy to preserve this kingdom from war, 
pestilence, famine, and sins, and all my parents 
and friends, and every faithful christian from all 
evil. To you I recommend also, merciful 
Virgin ! the suffering souls in Purgatory ; pray 
for these affectionate souls to your most beloved 
Jesus, that the leaving those avenging flames and 
flying to Heaven, may there enjoy for all eter- 
nity, beatific glory, and pray for me a wretched 
sinner. Amen, 

These short prayers in this order, whether of 
the one form or of the other, may be practised in 
families every evening in their houses, in the 
same way as the Holy Rosary is recited. This 
practice would be very agreeable to the Virgin, 
and profit much their common interests, as well 
spiritual as temporal, and in addition to the seven 
joys, the Litanies of the Blessed Virgin also be 
recited, as is done by many, besides exhibiting 
this greater respect to the great Mother of God, 

7* 



78 

they will gain an indulgence of two hundred 
days, granted by Sixtus V. of happy memory. 



Of the Devotion of Wednesday. 

Even from the time of the primitive church, it 
was a pious custom with the faithful, to observe 
a fast and abstinence on Wednesdays, and this 
they did to mortify their flesh on that day on 
which, with execrable sacrilege, the infamous and 
profligate Judas impiously sold for a small sum 
of money the innocent body of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, his loving Master ; and though this mor- 
tification is generally disused, the Church has, 
nevertheless, in our times, retained, in some part, 
this fast, as it has ordained that four times in the 
year, namely, the Quarter Tenses, the Wednes- 
days, should also be comprehended in the fasts ; 
this is in like manner practised by the sovereign 
Pontiffs, when they impose a fast for any Jubi- 
lee, or extraordinary indulgence. 

Hence, in order that the treason which Judas 
did, may always be in the mind of the Car- 
melites, that by remembering it they may be en- 
abled to avoid all occasions of betraying God by 
mortal sin, the Virgin Mary wishes that this ab- 
stinence from meat should be perpetuated and ob- 
served in her Order, and by her brothers, and 
this Wednesday remain for ever marked by it 
among her beloved Sons, the Carmelites. 



79 



To propagate this devotion more extensively, 
Paul V. of happy memory, a great votary of our 
Lady of Mount Carmel, concurred with the Vir- 
gin by conceding in a special Brief three hun- 
dred days' indulgence, every Wednesday, to the 
Brothers who should comply with this absti- 
nence. 

To increase still more this devotion on Wed- 
nesdays, it is an usual custom with many Car- 
melite Churches, for the spiritual father of the 
convent, or any other priest, to celebrate on every 
Wednesday in the year, the Mass of the Blessed 
Virgin, or the Regular Mass of the day at the 
altar of the Blessed Virgin herself. This Mass 
is usually called the Mass of the Devotion, be- 
cause, at this Mass, they chaunt the Litanies of 
our Lady, and recite the seven joys, with the Pa- 
ter Nosters and Ave Marias, and the priest usually 
makes a short and beneficial discourse, to incite 
and inflame the faithful still more to the devotion 
of the Virgin Mary. The fruit of this Mass, as 
it affects the dead, is given for the relief of the 
souls of the deceased Brothers, and as it affects 
the living, for the benefit of all the Brothers alive, 
particularly those present, and the priest offers up 
his prayers to Heaven into the hands of the 
Queen of Paradise, that by her intercession they 
may be protected and defended from all spiritual 
and temporal labors, and that the devotion of the 
sacred habit of Mount Carmel may every day be 
more and more extended and increased. 

In some of the Carmelite churches it is usual 



80 



also on Wednesdays to give a benediction of the 
most holy Sacrament, To all who are present 
at this ceremony, Benedict XIII. in a bull, dated 
4th March, 1727, has granted on one Wednesday 
in each month, to be appointed by the ordinary, 
a plenary indulgence if they sincerely repent, 
confess and receive. On so many grounds and 
motives are the brothers and sisters exhorted to 
frequent the devotions : not so much for their 
own profit as for that of those poor souls who are 
suffering in the flames of purgatory, and waiting 
for our aid. 

Let all then concur on this day with a pious 
and holy affection in praying to the Lord for these, 
since prayers are the divine incantations that force 
those flames to leave free and unincumbered those 
souls, that they with joy and gladness may fly to 
possess themselves of the eternal happiness of 
paradise. And let each remember, that when it 
will please the divine Majesty he will himself 
have need of such suffrages, and therefore let him 
not omit, while in his power, to partake, on the 
like day, of the divine bread of angels in aid of 
those, since this consecrated host is the gift the 
"Wiseman speaks of in the Proverbs : u Mimus 
absconditum extinguit iras." (chap, xxi.) Jesus 
Christ our Lord concealed under the veil of the 
Eucharistic appearances will easily be able to stay 
that anger of the purging fire, and so precisely 
the angelic doctor explained the words of the 
Wiseman in his works, appropriately speaking 
of the august Sacrament of the Altar : M Hoc 



81 



munus absconditum extinguit pcenas purgatorii. 
Op. 58. chap. xxv. 

But above all let them aid with the holy sacri- 
fices those tormented souls, since the Victim of 
the Sacred Altar appeases heaven and extinguishes 
the fire ; nor is the Sacrifice of the Altar less 
useful or profitable to those souls than that of 
Calvary, so the golden pen of St. John Chrysos- 
tom testifies : Tantum valet celebratio missse 
quantum mens Christi in cruce, (Prep. fig. Pur. 
fer. 6. n. 1.) and with reason since if Christ our 
Redeemer on the cross, dying and lifeless, for the 
price of one single memento gave the kingdom to 
a robber ; so now that he sits glorious and im- 
mortal at the right hand of the Father, for another 
memento of the sacrificing priest, grants, to the 
souls in purgatory, rest and peace in the kingdom 
of glory. 

On the Sundays on which the procession is 
celebrated, viz. once in each month, the brothers 
and sisters should be present at it to acquire the 
plenary indulgence granted by Paul V. This in- 
dulgence can be applied by way of suffrage for 
the souls in purgatory, and likewise for honoring 
the Virgin Mary, who as a loving mother invites 
them to appear once a month to fill them liberally 
with heavenly gifts. Let them not show them- 
selves slothful and careless respecting so great a 
blessing, nor remove themselves for any small 
and trifling occasion from these sacred assemblies 
and processions, because as negligent and contu- 
macious they will not participate in the delights 



82 

of Mary, and will run the risk of not enjoying 
that assistance the same Virgin promises to her 
true children in the dangers of this life. 

To receive any slight favor, not to say from 
any prince or high personage, but from a person 
of our own condition, and perhaps inferior, we 
inconvenience ourselves, and are extremely obse- 
quious ; nay, sometimes, (if I be allowed to say 
it,) we descend to some base act, to arrive at our 
purpose, Oh God ! And can we not admit of 
some slight inconvenience, to obtain from so great 
a personage as is the Empress of the Skies, the 
Great Mother of God, favors so great, privileges 
so extraordinary, as are daily experienced by her 
true votaries. 

Every day let us pray to the Virgin that it may 
be her wish to be a mother to us, (Monstra de 
esse Matrem) though she does not omit to make 
us perceive every moment, in a thousand ways, 
that she is a mother truly kind and affectionate ; 
well, with reason can she say to more than one 
of us, Monstra te esse/lliian, inasmuch as by our 
negligence and little devotion, we but badly cor- 
respond with her so great maternal affections. 

Ah ! my dear and beloved Carmelites ! it is not 
the name but the works that justify the man, if 
you ardently desire that the blessed Virgin Mary 
may be a mother to you, act so that your deeds 
may correspond with that noble name you gra- 
ciously enjoy, of Sons of Mary. 



83 



LIST OF THE GENERALS. 

The christian princes after having made them- 
selves masters of the Holy Land under the com- 
mand of Godfrey of Bologne, in the year 1099, 
St. Berthold, a native of France, and doctor of 
Paris, accompanied the army thither for the pur- 
pose of visiting the holy places, fixed his abode 
in Mount Carmel among the hermits, who in the 
year 1141 assembled to hold their first Chapter, 
Aimericus, then patriarch of Antioch and Pope's 
legate, was by the unanimous consent of all, 
chosen to preside over this meeting, in which St. 
Berthold was elected first general of the Latins 
or Europeans. Verner, a Cartusian, speaking 
of Aimericus, in his Chronicles of the Church, 
in the year 1141, says: " Ordo Carmelitarum 
restitutus et reformatus ah Aimerico Malfaida 
Lemovicenee Patriarcha Jlntioque et Jlpostolicx 
Sedis transmere Legato, primus General fuit 
Frater Bertholdus Vir Sanctus : — " The Order 
of Carmelites was revived and reformed by 
Aimericus, Patriarch of Antioch and Pope's Le- 
gate ; and their first General was St. Berthold, a 
holy man." From that time, all the hermits of 
Mount Carmel, Syria, and Palestine, have been 
subject to, and under the obedience of a prelate. 
This election of general was two thousand and 
sixty seven years after our patriarch, St. Elias, 
instituted the order of Mount Carmel, and seventy 
years before the institute of the order of St. Dom- 



84 

inick and St. Francis ; and the reason why the 
Carmelite order has not the precedence of the 
others, is not, because it is said not to have been 
instituted and approved previous ; on the con- 
trary, it was approved by Pope Stephen V. in the 
year 816, by Leo IV. 847, Sergius III. 907, John 
X. 913, John XI. 931, Sergius IV. 1009, Alexan- 
der III. 1180, and Innocent IV. 1199; but the 
reason why it has not the priority, or precedence, 
is, that the orders of St. Dominick and St. Fran- 
cis were confirmed by a bull from the Pope in the 
year 1224, and the order of Carmel not for two 
years after, in 1226. St. Berthold was general 
of the entire order for the period of forty-six 
years ; he died in the year 1187, aged 115, after 
having given the habit to many, and founded 
several convents. 

St. Brocard, a native of Jerusalem, was unani- 
mously chosen to succeed St. Berthold in the 
government of the order in the year 1118; he 
received into the order S. Cyril of Constantino- 
ple, and St. Angel of Jerusalem, who foretold the 
stigmas of St. Francis, and the persecution of St. 
Dominick by the Albigenses ; they in like man- 
ner prophesied to him the martyrdom which he 
afterwards suffered in the year 1220 : he also in- 
vested with the holy habit St. Angela, daughter 
of the king of Bohemia, and prioress of the con- 
vent of St. Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the venera- 
ble Eusebius the Syrian, Jerom, and Jeremy of 
Palestine, and Rodolph Fresbuno, who was the 
first Provincial of England, whither he accompa- 



37 



would render her in reducing it to its former 
rigor and observance. 

These examples of the favor and protection of 
the blessed Virgin over the order of Mount Car- 
mel, and many others which I omit for brevity- 
sake, do sufficiently convince how justly this 
order doth claim this sacred princess for their 
singular advocate and patroness. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Of divers sorts of Persons that appertain unto 
the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin. 

Before I speak further of the sacred confrater- 
nity, founded upon the holy Scapular, which the 
blessed Virgin gave with her own hands to St. 
Simon Stock, general of the Carmelites, and in 
his person to all the order, and to all the whole 
church of God, it will not be from my purpose 
to tell you that there are several sorts of persons 
who fight under the standard and livery of the 
most blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel ; 
they may be all reduced to four classes, whereof 
two are religious, and do consecrate themselves 
to the service of God, by the vows of the Angel- 
ical Councils, the other two are not. 

In the first class are to be placed men and 
women who live in monasteries, and have all 
things in common, observing the ancient rule of 

4 



38 

the Carmelites, of whom we have already proved 
that they are lawful successors of the holy Pro- 
phets Elias and Eliseus. 

The sacred rank is of these whom we com- 
monly call Tertians, or the third order ; who 
living in the world do endeavor to observe the 
rule of the order, as much as their state and con- 
dition will permit, and consequently, they imitate 
others who live in communities, in the color of 
their clothes, the time of frequenting the sacra- 
ments, in the manner of praying, and finally, in 
all their abstinence, penance, and mortifications, 
all according to the advice and prescriptions of a 
prudent director. 

Of the third order of the blessed Virgin Mary 
of Mount Carmel, mention is made in the bull of 
Sixtus V., which begins thus, Dumattentiva me- 
ditationes, §*c, wherein it gives full power to all 
the superiors of the order, to admit what persons 
they shall judge fit to the habit of Tertians, and 
consequently, in the same bull, his holiness makes 
all that wear it, participant of the privileges, im- 
munities, favors, and indulgences of the whole 
order of Carmelites. 

This institution, or manner of living, hath pro- 
duced many persons of most rare virtue and 
sanctity ; among others the blessed Angel Laudo 
Arena Paula Villa Franca, Maria del Aquila, 
Joanna Oliverie, and also Frances de Yopes, a 
person of known sanctity in Spain, and brother 
to the divine contemplative, and doctor of mystic 
divinity, John of the Cross, lately beatified by 



39 



Clement X. This person, I say, took publicly 
the habit of the third order of the blessed Virgin 
Mary of Mount Carmel at Medina, and make his 
profession in it : and after the long practice of 
heroic actions, and the working of the most pro- 
digious miracles, which are related in the history 
of his life, he rendered up his happy soul to his 
Creator, leaving the world embalmed with the 
sweet odours of his most admirable virtues. Of 
the venerable Virgin Angela de Arena Carthagena, 
lib. 17, Homiliarum Homil. 3, writes out of Sil- 
vester Maurolieus, a Cistercian Abbot, that she 
having a resolution to become a Tertian of 
another order, the night before she was to exe- 
cute her design, she saw in a vision a ladder, 
whose top reached up to heaven, and two saints 
of the order of Carmelites appearing to her, and 
told her that if she desired by this ladder to 
mount up to heaven, she should become a Ter- 
tian of the order of the blessed Virgin Mary of 
Mount CarmeL Whereupon she changed her 
former resolution, followed this celestial admoni- 
tion, and died in a great opinion of sanctity in 
Sicily, on the 2d of October, 1556. 

The other two institutes which are annexed to 
the holy order of Mount Carmel, are sodalities, 
or confraternities, and for distinction sake, we may 
name the first, the sodality of the order ; the 
second, the confraternity of the Holy Scapular. 
By the first, we may make persons participants 
of all privileges, indulgences, prayers, fastings, 
disciplines, watching and other good works, and 



40 



spiritual treasures of the order. This is done 
by letters of filiation, as they call them ; for as 
in a temporal republic, the magistrates have pow- 
er to incorporate into their body whom they think 
fit, and to dispose of their earthly dominions, so 
in spiritual congregations, the superiors have au- 
thority to dispose of their spiritual riches, and 
apply them to whom they think good, they being 
authorised thereunto by Gregory V. who died in 
the year 909, Alexander II. Clement III. and 
other Popes, in their briefs granted to the Order. 
The second, which we made the confraternity 
of the Holy Scapular, and of which alone all 
our future discourse will be, is (as we have al- 
ready said,) grounded upon the words of the most 
Blessed Virgin spoken to St. Simon Stock, and 
upon the sacred habit which she gave him as a 
sign of confraternity and powerful protection. 
Those that enter into this congregation, do at the 
same time enter into a participation of the pro- 
mise made by the Mother of God, to them that 
die invested with her sacred livery, which is (as 
we have said in the former chapter,) to be deliv- 
ered from the eternal pains of hell fire, from the 
temporal pains of purgatory shortly after their 
decease, and to enjoy many other privileges 
which are contained in the words of the Blessed 
Virgin to St. Simon Stock. For the words and 
promises of the Virgin did not only concern him- 
self, and the religious men and women of his 
order, but also, all persons whatsoever, who out 
of devotion to the Blessed Virgin, do wear the 



41 



Scapular, and so become members of her con- 
fraternity. This may be verified by several ar- 
guments. 1st. Because several Popes have ap- 
proved the erecting this confraternity indifferently 
for all persons to enter into it, of which number 
they themselves have often been. 2dly. John 
XXII. relating in his sabbatine bull, the appari- 
tion of the Blessed Virgin to him, sets down 
some of her words, which so evidently convince, 
that the privileges of the Scapular are not only 
for the Carmelites, but for all that wear it. 

3dly. We find by daily experience that the 
devouts of the Scapular do enjoy the favor and 
protection of the sacred Virgin, whether they be 
ecclesiastical or secular. 

Finally, a most efficacious argument, to con- 
vince this truth is gathered from what St. Simon 
Stock did. This holy man received the Scapular 
from the Blessed Virgin, and consequently, he 
knew very well what her meaning was, and 
nevertheless he gave his precious livery to many 
out of his order, who, during their life, did all, by 
a happy experience, learn the efficacy and power 
of it. Moreover the first miracle we read of 
done by the Scapular, was by a layman ; and 
because the thing happened there in England, I 
will relate briefly the story. 

On the 16th of July, which is the very same 
day on which the Blessed Virgin gave her Sca- 
pular to St. Simon, this venerable prelate went 
to Winchester, about some business he had with 
the bishop of that place ; he was no sooner 

4* 



42 



arrived there, but the dean of St. Helen's church 
came to him, and beseeched him that he would 
vouchsafe to come and assist a brother of his, 
named Walter, who lay dying in despair of his 
salvation, insomuch that he would not hear of 
God, or of sacraments, but continually invoked 
the devil, that he would revenge himself of a 
person who had mortally wounded him. Our 
holy general went presently with his own com- 
panion to see this miserable man, whom he found 
deprived of all use of reason, grinding his teeth, 
and rolling his eyes in a most hideous manner. 
After he had recommended him to Almighty 
God, he made on him the sign of the cross, and 
gave him the Scapular ; which he had no sooner 
done, but the sick man returned presently to 
himself, he detested the devil, with whom he 
made a contract ; he begged pardon of Almighty 
God with great signs of true sorrow and contri- 
tion. He earnestly desired to confess his sins, 
and to receive the other sacraments of the church, 
which being done, he died the same night. But 
the dean being in doubt of his brother's salvation, 
because of his wicked life ; the dead man ap- 
peared to him, and assured him, that by means 
of the habit, wherewith the general of the Carm- 
elites had invested him, he had escaped the 
snares of the devil, and eternal damnation. 



43 



CHAPTER V. 

The first Privilege of the Confraternity of the 
Holy Scapular. 

Hastinus, a learned author in Disquisitionibus 
Monastic, lib. 3, n. disq. 5, hath well said, that 
the Holy Scapular was given, not only for a vest, 
but also for a breast-plate or helmet against all 
the darts of our spiritual enemies ; for our 
Blessed Saviour, by the intercession of his Vir- 
gin Mother, hath annexed to it so many graces, 
favors, privileges, that it may be verified what is 
said upon another occasion. Ap. 2. No man 
knows them but he that receives them. It would 
require a long discourse to treat exactly on all 
these privileges ; therefore I will content myself 
to put down briefly the principal. We said in a 
former chapter, that two confraternities are an- 
nexed to the holy order of Mount Carmel ; to 
wit, that of the third order, and that of the Scapu- 
lar, insomuch that the devouts of this sacred 
livery are partakers of the prayers, discipline, 
alms, watchings, fasts, mortifications, austerities, 
and good works, which are done in the holy 
order of Carmelites. 

This privilege ought the more to be esteemed, 
because this devout and observant congregation 
hath abounded with many most pure souls, so 
that it must needs be very advantageous to parti- 
cipate of their prayers and good deeds ; Clement 



44 



VII. out of a singular devotion he had to this 
holy confraternity, hath extended this communi- 
cation further, that hath made brothers and sis- 
ters of the confraternity of the Scapular partici- 
pants of all pious actions, which are done 
throughout the whole church of God. More- 
over, Sextus VI. granted to the devouts of the 
Scapular, all the privileges, indulgences, graces, 
and favors, which are granted to the cord of St. 
Francis, to the Rosary of our Blessed Lady, or 
to any other confraternity whatsoever ; so that 
they do enjoy them as much as if they were 
really members of those sodalities, by reason of 
their communication in privileges with the order 
of the Carmelites. The members of this confra- 
ternity do enjoy that honorable title of being 
called brothers and sisters of the Blessed Virgin 
Mary of Mount Carmel ; and they are taken un- 
der the special protection of this sacred Queen 
of Angels, as persons particularly appertaining 
to her, and as it were, her domestics, clothed in 
her livery. Wherefore, without doubt, this 
powerful advocate will not fail to aid and assist 
them, both in their life, and at the hour of their 
death, obtaining from them a happy intercession, 
which both appear by an infinite number of mir- 
acles wrought in favor of the brothers and sisters 
of this confraternity, whereof some are related in 
the tenth chapter of this treatise, and many others 
are yet done by Lazena de Patronatu Mariae, 
chap. 5, where you may read how the sacred 
Virgin hath miraculously obtained for most ob- 



45 



durate sinners, time and grace to repent and con- 
fess their sins, because they wore her livery. 
For, as St. Thomas teaches, 1, 2, p. 31, art. 3 : 
Grace and virtue imitate the order of nature, 
which hath this property, and every agent doth 
act most powerfully on that subject which is 
nearest to its virtue. Thus Almighty God, whose 
nature is goodness, and whose ways are mercy, 
doth communicate himself more abundantly to 
these angelical spirits, which are nearly related 
to him ; as St. Denis de Ecclesiastical Hierar. 
chap. 7, and many others of the holy Fathers do 
testify. In the same manner the Mother of God 
doth enlarge her gifts and graces, as well spiritual 
as temporal, more plentifully and abundantly on 
those who have contracted any particular alliance 
or conjunction with her, as here they of the con- 
fraternity of the Scapular do by several titles 
they claim in this sacred Virgin for their only 
Princess, Patroness and Advocate. 



CHAPTER VI. 

The second Privilege of the Confraternity. 

Another benefit or privilege of this confrater- 
nity of the Scapular, is contained in these words : 
he that dieth investeth with this habit shall not 
suffer eternal fire : which is as much as to say, 
that the Scapular is a great help in order to ob- 



46 

tain eternal felicity. The same thing was re- 
vealed to Pope John XXII. , as he relates in his 
Bulla Sabbatina, and to the Blessed Angela de 
Arena, who was told by two saints which ap- 
peared to her, that if she desired to mount up to 
heaven, by the mystical ladder which she saw in 
a vision, she should forthwith receive the Sca- 
pular. Also, Don John de Vesiques relates in 
the life of the venerable Francis Yopes, who died 
in a great opinion of sanctity, the year 1617, 
that amongst many other things which superna- 
turally were revealed to him, he learned that the 
holy Scapular was one of the greatest adversaries 
that the devil had in the world, for great were 
the number of souls which he lost by the means 
of it. The Rev. Father Alphoso, a Matre Dei, 
writes : That in the City of Quanena, during the 
procession of the holy Scapular, which is made on 
the third Sunday of every month, the devils were 
heard to execrate the holy Scapular with many 
howlings and outcries, lamenting themselves, that 
by means of this sacred habit of the Blessed Vir- 
gin the gates of hell were shut to many persons. 
But you must note, that this promise of the 
Blessed Virgin, whereby she obliged herself, that 
none should suffer hell fire who died in her livery, 
is not to be understood in such a manner as if all 
those should be absolutely saved, for as much as 
on the behalf of our Blessed Lady, who in virtue 
of the alliance contracted with them, will obtain 
of God such particular graces which they make 
use of, they will easily arrive at eternal salvation. 



47 



Wherefore, if any that wear the Scapular come to 
be condemned, it will be his own fault, he having 
not co-operated on his part with God's assistance, 
but rendered himself obstinate and rebellious to 
the divine inspirations which the Blessed Virgin, 
by her powerful intercession, had obtained for 
him. In the same manner, are to be understood 
the words of our divine Saviour : he that believ- 
eth and is baptized, shall be saved. Mark 16. 
Whosoever shall invoke the name of the Lord 
shall be saved, for as much as concerns the nature 
of faith and happiness. For here is signified, 
not so much the effect as the strength and nature 
of the thing to which the promise is annexed. 
See Maldonatus in cap. c. Joan ver. 54. 



CHAPTER VII. 

The third Privilege of the Confraternity. 

The third privilege of the Scapular is that which 
we call Bulla Sabbatina, and it consists in this, 
that the most immaculate and ever Virgin Mary 
doth assist her devoted brethren after their de- 
cease in freeing them speedily from the horrible 
pains of purgatory, especially on the first Sun- 
day after their death, which day being dedicated 
by the church to her honor, she is then wont 
more liberally to bestow her favors. This pri- 
vilege had for its security, the promise of the 



48 



Blessed Virgin, made to Pope John XXII. by 
these words : They that out of devotion shall 
enter into my confraternity, if after their death 
they go to purgatory, I that am the Mother of 
Mercy, will descend the first opportunity after 
their decease, and by my prayers and interces- 
sions, will help them hence, and conduct them to 
the holy mountain of celestial glory. The truth 
of this promise of privilege cannot now reason- 
ably be called in doubt, seeing it hath oftentimes 
been approved by Popes, admitted by good Ca- 
tholics, and examined and authorised by the most 
famous universities, colleges and schools of Chris- 
tendom : as by the university of Cambridge in 
England, in the year 1754, by that of Bologna 
in Italy, the year 1600, and lastly, by that of 
Salamanca in Spain. It was published first by 
John XXII. and that by express command from 
heaven, as he himself declares in his bull, which 
we called Salatipa, and thus begins : Sacratissimo 
uti culmine, given at Avignon, the 3d of March, 
1322. Alexander I. confirmed this brief of John 
XXII. in the year 1409, and also many other 
chief pastors after him as Clement VII. Pius V. 
in his bull Superna Dispensatione, given the 
year 1556. Gregory XIII. in his bull atUt Lande, 
in the year 1579, and all the congregation of the 
inquisition at Rome, under Pius V. after a long 
and accurate examine of this privilege, and after 
the apparition made to John XXII. confirming it, 
published the following decree confirmative and 
decisive. It is permitted to the fathers of Car- 



97 

THE 

OFFICE 

OF THE 

BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. 

At Mattins. 

V. Now let my lips sing and display, 
R. The blessed Virgin praise this day, 
V. O Lady to my help intend : 
R. Me strongly from my foes defend, 
Glory be to the Father, &c. 

The hymn. 

Hail Lady of the world, 

Of Heaven bright Queen : 
Hail Virgin of virgins 

Star early seen. 
Hail full of all grace, 

Clear light divine ; 
Lady, to succor us, 

With speed incline. 
God, from eternity, 

Before all other, 
Of the world thee ordain'd, 

To be the Mother, 
By which he created 

The Heavens, sea, land, 
His fair spouse he chose, 

Free from sin's band. 
9 



98 

V. God hath elected and pre-elected her. 
R. He hath made her dwell in his tabernacle. 

Let us Pray. 

O HOLY Mary, Mother of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, queen of heaven, and lady of the world, 
who neither forsakest or despisest any, behold 
me mercifully with the eye of pity, and obtain 
for me, of thy beloved Son, pardon for all my 
sins : that I, who, with devout affection, do now 
celebrate thy holy conception, may, hereafter, 
enjoy the reward of eternal bliss ; through the 
grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
whom thou, a virgin, didst bring forth : who, 
with the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest and 
reignest one God in perfect Trinity, forever and 
ever. Amen. 

V. O Lord hear my prayer. 

/?. And let my cry come unto thee. 

V. Let us bless our Lord. 

R. Thanks be to God. 

V. And may the souls of the faithful depart- 
ed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 

Jit Prime. 

V. O Lady, to my help intend. 

R. Me strongly from my foes defend. 

Glory be to the Father, &c. 



99 

The Hymn. 

HAIL Virgin most prudent, 

House for God plac'd, 
With the seven-fold pillar 

And table grac'd. 
Sav'd from contagion 

Of the frail earth : 
In the womb of thy parent, 

Saint before birth. 
Mother of the living. 

Gate of Saint's merits, 
The new star of Jacob, 

Queen of pure spirits. 
To Zabulon fearful : 

Armies' array ; 
Be thou of Christians 

Refuge and stay. 

V. lie hath created her in his holy Spirit. 
R. And hath poured her out, over all his 
works. 

Let us pray. 

O holy Mary, Mother of our Lord, &c, as 
before. 

V, O Lord hear my prayer. 

R. And let my cry come unto thee. 

V. Let us bless our Lord. 

R. Thanks be to God. 

V. And may the souls of the faithful depart- 
ed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 



100 



At Third. 

V. O Lady, to my help intend ; 

JR. Me strongly from my foes defend. 

V. Glory be to the Father, &c. 

The Hymn. 

HAIL ark of the covenant, 

King Solomon's throne, 
Bright rainbow of Heaven, 

The bush of vision. 
The fleece of Gideon, 

The flow'ring rod ; 
Sweet honey of Sampson, 

Closet of God. 
'Twas meet Son so noble 

Should save from stain, 
(Wherewith Eve's children 

Spotted remain.) 
The maid whom for mother 

He had elected, 
That she might be never 

With sin infected. 

V. I dwell in the highest ; 

R. And my throne is the pillar of the clouds. 

Let us Pray. 

O holy Mary, Mother of our Lord, &c, as 
before. 

V. O Lord hear my prayer, 

B. And let my cry come unto thee. 

V. Let us bless our Lord. 






101 



R. Thanks be to God. 

V. And may the souls of the faithful depart- 
ed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 
R. Amen. 

At Sixth. 
V. O Lady, to my help intend. 
R. Me strongly from my foes defend. 
V. Glory be to the Father, &c. 

The Hymn. 
HAIL Mother and Virgin : 
—Of the Trinity 
Temple ; joy of Angels, 

Ceel of purity. 
Comfort of mourners, 

Garden of pleasure ; 
Palm-tree of patience, 

Chastity's measure. 
Thou land sacerdotal 

Art blessed wholly 
From sin original 

Exempted solely. 
The city of the highest, 

Gate of the East ; 
Virgin's gem, in thee 

All graces rest. 
As the lily among thorns ; 
R. So my beloved among the daughters of 
Adam. 

Let us Pray 
O holy Mary, Mother of our Lord, &c. as 
before. 9* 



102 



V. O Lord hear my prayer. 
R. And let my cry come unto thee. 
V. Let us bless our Lord ; 
R. Thanks be to God. 
V. And may the souls of the faithful depart- 
ed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 
R. Amen. 

Jit Ninth. 

V. O Lady, to my help intend. 

R. Me strongly from my foes defend. 

V. Glory be to the Father, &c. 

The Hymn. 

HAIL city of refuge, 

King David's tower, 
Fenc'd with bulwark, 

And armour's power. 
In thy conception 

Charity did flame ; 
The fierce dragon's pride 

Was brought to shame. 
Judith invincible, 

Woman of arms, 
Fair Abisaig, Virgin, 

True David warms, 
Son of fair Rachael 

Did Egypt store ; 
Mary of the world 

The Saviour bore. 
V. Thou art all fair, O my beloved. 
R. And original spot was never in thee. 



103 



Let us Pray. 

O holy Mary, Mother of our Lord, &c. as 
before. 

V. O Lord hear my prayer ; 

R. And let my cry come unto thee. 

V. Let us bless our Lord ; 

R. Thanks be to God. 

V. And may the souls of the faithful depart- 
ed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 

At Even- Song. 

V. O Lady, to my help intend. 

R. Me strongly from my foes defend. 

V. Glory be to the Father, &c. 

The Hymn. 
HAIL dial, in which 

Turns retrograde, 
The sun, ten degrees ; 

The Word is flesh made, 
That man from hell pit 

To Heaven might rise, 
Th' immense above angels, 

In stable lies. 
This Son did on Mary 

Betimes appear, 
Made her conception 

A morning clear, 
Fair lily among thorns, 

That serpent frights, 
Clear moon that in dark 

The wanderer lights. 



104 



V. In heaven I made a never failing light rise, 
R. And I covered all the world as a mist. 

Let us Pray. 

O Holy Mary, &c. as before. 
V. Lord hear my prayer : 
R. And let my cry come unto thee. 
V. Let us bless our Lord ; 
R. Thanks be to God. 

V. And may the souls of the faithful depart- 
ed, through the mercy of God rest in peace. 
R. Amen. 

At Compline. 

V. Let thy Son, Jesus Christ, O Lady paci- 
fied by thy prayers, convert us ; 
R. And turn his anger from us. 
V. O Lady, to my help intend. 
R. Me strongly from my foes defend. 
V. Glory be to the father, &c. 

The hymn. 

HAIL flourishing Virgin, 

Chastity's renown ; 
Queen of clemency, 

Whom stars do crown. 
Thou pure above Angels, 

Dost Son behold, 
Sitt'st at his right hand, 

Attir'd in gold. 
Mother of grace, hope 

To the dismay'd ; 
* Bright star of the sea, 



105 



In shipwreck, aid. 
Grant Heaven-gate open, 

That by thee blest, 
We thy Son may see 
In blissful rest. 
V. Thy name, Mary, is oil poured out. 
R. Thy servants have exceedingly loved thee. 

Let as Pray. 

O HOLY Mary, Mother of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, queen of Heaven, and lady of the 
world, who neither forsakest or despisest any, 
behold me mercifully with an eye of pity, and 
obtain for me of thy beloved Son, pardon of 
all my sins ; that I, who with devout affection, 
do now celebrate thy holy conception, may 
hereafter enjoy the reward of eternal bliss ; 
through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, whom thou, a Virgin, didst bring forth ; 
who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, 
liveth, <fec. 

V. Lord hear my prayer ; 

R. And let my cry come unto thee. 

Vm Let us bless our Lord ; 

R. Thanks be to God. 

V. And may the souls of the faithful depart- 
ed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 

The Commendation. 
To thee, Virgin pious, 

We humbly present 
These hours canonical, 

With pure intent, 



106 

Guide pilgrims, until 

With Christ we meet : 
In our agony aid us, 

O Virgin sweet. Amen. 

This Anthem following, with the Prayer of the 
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Vir- 
gin, is approved of by Pope Paul V. who 
hath granted an hundred days of indulgence 
to all faithful Christians, that shall devoutly 
recite the same. 

Anthem. 

THIS is the branch, in which was neither 
knot of original, nor bark of actual sin found. 

V. In thy conception, O Virgin, thou wast im- 
maculate. 

R. Pray unto the Father for us, whose Son 
thou didst bring forth. 

Let us Pray. 

O GOD, who by the immaculate conception 
of the Blessed Virgin, didst prepare a fit habita- 
tation for thy Son, we beseech thee, that, as by 
the foreseen death of her same Son, thou didst 
preserve her pure from all spot, so likewise 
grant, that we, by her intercession made free 
from sin, may attain unto thee ; through our 
Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who, with thee and 
the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, one God, 
world without end. Amen. 



TO THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS 

OF THE VENERABLE CONFRATERNITY 
OF THE 

B. V. MARY, OF MOUNT CARMEL. 



The Author feels peculiar pleasure in present- 
ing this little Work to yon, the cherished off- 
spring of the Mother of God. His reason for 
writing it, was — the will of his Superior, his 
motive for publishing it, that all who may attend 
at the Novena, might, by having a copy, the 
more easily join the priest reciting the prayers at 
the Altar ; and the end he has in view, is, the 
greater glory of God — the honor of his Blessed 
Mother, and — the sanctification of your souls, by 
your devotion to that Great Mother of divine 
grace. That such will be its effects he confi- 
dently hopes, because, as may be perceived, 
there is scarcely any thing in it from himself, it 
being principally extracted from the writings of 
the holy Fathers, whose sentiments on the glori- 
ous subject-matter of the short meditations, 
have been collected by that most devout panegy- 

(107) 



108 

rist of Mary the Mother of God, Saint Alfonsus 
de Liguori. Accept the good wishes of, and 
pray for 

R. J. C. OCC. 

N. B. — Although the usual time for commen- 
cing a Novena be nine days preceding the Festi- 
val with which it is connected, yet the considera- 
tion that a Plenary Indulgence may be gained by 
the faithful, on any day they visit the Carmelite 
Church during the octava of the Solemn Com- 
memoration of the B. V. M. of Mount Carmel, 
has induced the Fathers of said Convent to begin 
this Novena on the Festival, (July 16) and con- 
tinue it for nine successive days, to the end that 
persons visiting the church for the performance 
of the Novena, might at the same time (if they 
had complied with the other necessary condi- 
tions) gain the Plenary Indulgence. 



NOVENA. 



FIRST DAY. 

Come, O Holy Ghost ! replenish the hearts 
of thy faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of 
thy divine love. 

V. Send forth thy Spirit and they shall be 
created. 

R. And thou shalt renew the face of the 
Earth. 

PRAYER. 

Prostrate before the throne of thy eternal 
Majesty, in humble adoration of thy infinite per- 
fections, and conscious of our great unworthiness 
to appear in thy divine presence, O Lord God ! 
our Creator and most merciful Saviour, before 
we presume to perform this Novena, which we 
offer to thee in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary 
of Mount Carmel, and in grateful acknowledg- 
ment of the innumerable graces and blessings 
thou hast conferred on us through Her merits and 
intercession ; particularly for thy having given 
her to us as our Mother and special Protectress, 
we most humbly confess all our grievous and 
10 (109) 



110 



numberless sins, detest and renounce them from 
the bottom of our hearts, and cry to thee for 
mercy and pardon. 

FIRST MEDITATION. 

Since the Church teaches us so frequently to 
repeat the words " pray for us," when we recite 
the Litany of the B. V. before we meditate on 
the various titles under which we invoke her, let 
us consider the efficacy of her prayers with God. 
Oh ! thrice happy is that soul for whom Mary 
prays ; our Lord Jesus delights to be petitioned 
by this his most beloved mother, and to grant 
whatever she asks of him ; * "Ask my dear 
mother," says our Lord, " whatever thou wilt 
from me, for thou knowest that no petition of 
thine can be in vain ; thou didst deny me noth- 
ing on earth, nor will I deny thee any thing in 
heaven." t As soon as Mary's petition is heard 
by her divine Son, says St. Bernard, that instant 
it is granted : let us then, if we be solicitous 
about our eternal salvation, frequently beseech 
this heavenly Queen to pray for us. 

PRAYER. 

Inspired with confidence on account of your 
unspeakable tenderness in giving us the holy 
Scapular, as a livery whereby we might be dis- 
tinguished as your servants, we beg of you, O 
great Queen of Heaven ! to offer your most 

* Rev. S. Brid. t A Filio audiri est exaudiri. 



Ill 



powerful prayers for us at the throne of mercy : 
and obtain that we may never disgrace your holy 
habit by the irregularity of our lives, but that we 
may honor it by the purity of our morals. 

Holy Mary pray for us. 

Our Father — Hail Mary — Glory, fyc. 

SECOND MEDITATION. 

Holy Mary, 

The name of Mary is so sweet and so salu- 
tary, that St. Epiphanius concludes it must have 
been given her, not by her parents, but from 
above. After the most adorable name of Jesus, 
there is none so consoling, or so powerful as 
that of Mary. " ! Mary," exclaims St. Ber- 
nard, " no one can pronounce thy name without 
feeling his heart inflamed with love and rever- 
ence for thee." " O ! Mary," cries out another 
saint,* " what must thou thyself be, when thy 
very name is so sweet and amiable ?" And St. 
Bonaventure assures us, that this holy name can- 
not be invoked without great advantage to the 
person who pronounces it, particularly in the 
time of temptation, when the infernal powers are 
to be overcome. 

PRAYER. 

O ! Holy Queen of Carmel, had I invoked 
your holy name in the hour of temptation, I 

* St. Henry Suson. 



112 

should not have so often fallen, and offended ray 
God ; but since I have the happiness, however 
unworthily, of being now enrolled amongst those 
whom you have been pleased to honor with the 
fond title of your children, I shall, with the as- 
sistance of your prayers, henceforward, con- 
stantly, and with confidence, particularly when 
in any spiritual danger, call on you to pray for 
me. 

Holy Mary pray for us. 

Our Father — Hail Mary — Glory, <^c. 

THIRD MEDITATION. 

Holy Mother of God! 

If the prayers of the saints prevail so much 
with God, what must be the power and efficacy 
of those of Mary ? Those are the petitions of 
servants, but these are the prayers of a mother. 
Hence St. Antoninus did not hesitate to say, that 
the prayers of Mary, are by our Lord Jesus 
Christ regarded as commands, and, he concludes, 
it is impossible that any request of the Mother 
of God in our behalf, should not be granted.* 
Let us then, following the advice of St. Bernard, 
ask no grace or favor from heaven, unless through 
the intercession of Mary — for she is the Mother 
of God, and cannot be refused. 

PRAYER. 

O ! Mary, Mother of God, pray for us ; yes, 
* Orato Virginis habet rationem imperii. 



113 



let your powerful prayers be continually offered 
up for us. Not content with calling us your 
children, you were pleased to distinguish us by 
the privileged title of your most beloved chil- 
dren, * cease not then, O most pious Virgin 
Mary ! to pray that we may also be distinguish- 
ed by our ardent love for your divine Son, our 
Lord Jesus Christ ; and do not forsake us until 
you see us in possession of eternal happiness in 
the kingdom of heaven. Amen. 

Holy Mother of God, pray for us. 

Holy Virgin of Virgins, pray for us. 

Our Father — Hail Mary—Glory, fyc* 



HYMN OF ST. SIMON STOCK. 

Bright Mother of our Maker, hail, 

Thou Virgin ever blest ; 
The Ocean's Star by which we sail, 

And gain the port of Rest. 

Whilst we this "Ave" thus to thee 
From Gabriel's mouth rehearse, 

Prevail that peace our lot may be, 
And Eva's name reverse. 

* Accipe filii dileetissime. — B. V. to St. Simon Stock. 
10* 



114 

Release our long entangled mind 

From all the snares of ill, 
With heavenly light instruct the blind. 

And all our vows fulfil. 

Exert for us a mother's care, 

And us thy children own : 
Prevail with Him to hear our prayer, 

Who chose to be thy Son. 

O spotless Maid ! whose virtues shine 

With brightest purity, 
Each action of our lives refine, 

And make us pure like thee. 

Preserve our lives unstained with ill, 

In this infectious way ; 
That heaven alone our souls may fill 

With joys that ne'er decay. 

To God the Father endless praise ; 

To God the Son the same ; 
And Holy Ghost, whose equal rays, 

One equal glory claim. Amen. 

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. 

R. That we may be made worthy of the pro- 
mises of Christ. 

PRAYER. 

Oh God, who hast adorned the Society of 
Carmelites with the glorious title of the Order 

OF THY BLESSED AND EVER VIRGIN MOTHER MaRY, 



115 

mercifully grant, that we who this day celebrate 
with solemnity her Commemoration, may, as- 
sisted by her protection, arrive at eternal happi- 
ness. Who liveth and reigneth with the Father 
in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world 
without end. Amen. 



SECOND DAY. 

Come Holy Ghost, <fyc. — Prayer as in page 109, 

FIRST MEDITATION. 

Mother of Divine Grace, 

Mary the Mother of God, is called by St. 
Anselm, the Mother of all Graces, and Saint 
Bernardine of Sienna, writes, that all the divine 
gifts and graces are dispensed through the hands 
of Mary, to whom Mary wills, when Mary 
pleases, and in the maimer that Mary wishes. 
With me (says our B. Lady) are riches, that 1 
may enrich them that love me.* That is, the 
Lord has placed in my hands all the treasures of 
his graces, in order that I may bestow them on 
those who love me. 

* Proverbs 8. 



116 



PRAYER. 

It is true then, chaste Mother of the Word In- 
carnate, that if I love you, I shall no longer be 
poor as I am. If every creature be bound to love 
you, am not I still more so, in gratitude for the 
many signal proofs you have given Carmelites of 
your love and tenderness ? Yes, after God, I love 
you above all things ; obtain for me that this my 
love towards you may daily increase, and lead 
me to a perfect love of God. St. Bernard* tells 
me, that whomsoever you wish shall be saved — 
you have declared that your Scapular should be 
to us a Sign of Salvation — save me then, oh Holy 
Virgin — save me from Hell, and save me from 
sin, which ought to be more dreaded than hell. 

Mother of Divine Grace, Pray for us. 

Pater and Jive, Glory, <$*ic. 

SECOND MEDITATION. 

Most pure Mother, 

This Virgin Mother who is all pure and spot- 
less, renders all her devout Servants pure and 
chaste. Mary, says St. Ambrose, even whilst on 
earth, was so full of grace that she inspired those 
who beheld her with a love for the virtue of 
purity. As the lily among thorns, so was Mary 
among the other Virgins ; for, says St. Dionysius, 
the Carthusian, other virgins may be pure them- 
selves, but Mary infused into the souls of her 

* Quern ipsa vult salvus erit. 



117 



beholders pure and holy affections. Nay we are 
told,* that St. Thomas of Aquin was wont to say, 
that to look upon an image of this Chaste Dove 
with devotion, was sufficient to extinguish the 
fire of concupiscence, and the Ven F. John Avila 
assures us, that many persons have been preserved 
pure amidst most violent temptations, by their 
devotion to the pure and spotless Virgin Mother 
of God. 

PRAYER. 

Yes, most pure Mother, I know that your very 
name is sufficient to put to flight the demon of 
impurity — surely you will not permit your chil- 
dren, who are under your special protection and 
wear your livery, ever to yield to such abomina- 
ble temptations. iSo, when assailed, may we 
ever invoke your assistance, until delivered from 
danger by your prayers and protection. 

Most pure Mother, pray for us. 

Our Father and Hail Mary, Glory, fyc. 

THIRD MEDITATION. 

Mother Inviolate. 

Mary was that inviolate soul, addressing whom, 
our Lord in the Canticle (4, 7,) says, " Thou art 
all fair my beloved, and there is not a Spot in 
thee" It was on account of her being free from 
every stain of sin, that she was appointed the 
peace maker between God and man ; hence she 

* Frieen in vit. S. Tho. 



118 



says (Cant. 8) " / am become in his presence as 
one finding peace " If says St. Gregory, a rebel 
subject appeared as an intercessor for his accom- 
plices before his offended king, instead of ap- 
peasing, he would provoke the monarch's anger 
and indignation, hence Mary, who was destined 
to be our Mediatrix, was preserved from a par- 
ticipation in the crime of Adam, and free from 
every stain of Sin. 

PRAYER. 

Oh ! holy and inviolate Virgin, pure and spot- 
less Dove, so dear to God, let not the sight of my 
sins and corruption cause you to turn away from 
me with disgust, but rather to compassionate and 
pity my misery. Our God, who loves you so 
much, can deny you nothing, nor can you, Oh 
merciful Virgin of Carmel ! refuse to assist your 
Children, who put their trust in your intercession ; 
obtain for me a horror for sin, and a true spirit 
of penance and mortification. 



Mother inviolate, 
Undefiled Mother 



v Pray for us. 



Pater and Ave, Glory be to the Father, &c, 
Hymn and Prayer, as page 114. 



119 

THIRD DAY. 

Come, oh Holy Ghost, &c. Prayer as page 110, 

FIRST MEDITATION. 

Amiable Mother, 

Mary appeared so amiable in the eyes of God, 
that the holy Spirit, addressing her in the Canti- 
cle says, " How beautiful art thou my beloved" 
and again, chap. 6, our Lord declares her to be 
"his only Dove! his only perfect one" It is 
certain that God loves the Blessed Virgin more 
than he does all the other Saints, because her 
love for God exceeds the united love of all his 
other creatures, both angels and men. 

PRAYER. 

Oh ! beauteous Flower of Carmel, lovely 
Spouse of the Spirit of God ; since your graces 
and beauty have merited the admiration and love 
of your Creator, take also my poor heart. It 
loves you, oh amiable Mother of God, teach it 
ardently to love your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Amen. 

Amiable Mother, 

Admirable Mother, y Pray for us. 

Mother of our Creator, 



,i 



Pater and Ave, Glory, fyc. 



120 



SECOND MEDITATION. 

Mother of oar Saviour, 

Mary not only brought forth to the world a 
Saviour, but co-operated so far in the great work 
of our redemption, that she is called by St. Bon- 
aventure, the Mediatrix of our Salvation, and St. 
John Damascen says, " she in a certain manner 
saved the world. "* First, because she gave her 
consent to the Incarnation of the Son of God, by 
which St. Bernardine declares she procured our 
salvation ; and secondly, because she consented 
to the death of her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, 
for love of us. 

PRAYER. 

Queen of Carmel ! Mother of Charity ! who 
for love of us sinners, and for our salvation, did 
resign your adorable son, Jesus, to the ignomini- 
ous death of the Cross, in obedience to the will 
of his Eternal Father ; obtain for me, that by fre- 
quently meditating on his Passion and Death, my 
heart may be inflamed with his holy love. Amen. 

Mother of our Saviour, ? p f 
Most prudent Virgin, 3 ^ 

Pater and Ave, Glory, tyc. 

THIRD MEDITATION. 

Virgin most Venerable, 
Mary is the Mother of our God, therefore she 

* Salvatrix Mundi, Sue modo. 



121 



is worthy of the most profound veneration from 
all God's creatures. Oh, Lady, exclaims St. An- 
selm, nothing is equal to you — " for every thing 
is either superior to you, and that is God alone ; 
or inferior to you, and such is every thing that is 
not God." St. Bernard says that God alone can 
comprehend the greatness and dignity of Mary, 
or how much she is worthy of veneration. She 
could not, says B. Albert the Great, be more 
closely united with God unless she became God. 

PRAYER. 

You are truly worthy of my most profound 
Veneration, oh ! Most Venerable Virgin of Car- 
mel, since the omnipotence of God could not 
exalt any creature to a dignity more eminent than 
that to which you have been elevated by becoming 
his Mother : as such then I love and reverence 
you with the most profound respect, and oh that 
I could induce all mankind to love and honor 
you ! Pray, I beseech you, for the conversion 
of those blind mortals, who offend our Lord 
Jesus, by their blasphemous disrespect for you 
his most venerable Mother. 

Virgin most Venerable, pray for us. 

Pater and Jive, Glory, #*c. 

Hymn and Prayer, as in page 114. 
11 



122 



FOURTH DAY, 

Come, O Holy Ghost, fyc. Prayer as in page 109. 

FIRST MEDITATION. 

Virgin Most Renowned, 

The Catholic Church sings that " Mary is 
worthy of all praise ;" for all the praise bestowed 
on the Blessed Virgin redounds to the honor of 
God : hence St. Gregory assures us, that God 
accepts the praises conferred on Mary as if offered 
to himself. It is for this reason that this most 
Blessed Virgin promises heaven to those who 
proclaim to other her virtues and prerogatives. 
"And they that explain me shall have life ever- 
lasting." (off par.) It is true, that all cannot pro- 
nounce eloquent eulogies and panegyric on the 
Mother of God ! but each one can, when in fa- 
miliar conversation with his companions or 
friends, speak of her glories and recommend de- 
votion to the Mother of God, who is so eminently 
entitled to the praises of all generations. 

PRAYER. 

Mother of God I should be unworthy to call 
myself a member of your cherished order, which 
first built an oratory in your honor, and first sang 
your praises on Carmel, did I not do all in my 
power to induce all mankind to love, honor, and 
praise you : yes, this is my earnest and ardent 
desire ; assist me, glorious Virgin to accomplish 



123 



it, and as I am your servant, do not permit me to 
become a slave to sin. 

Virgin Most Renowned, Pray for us. 

Pater and Jive, Glory, #c. 

SECOND MEDITATION. 

Virgin Most Powerful, 

What power can be conceived, after omnipo- 
tence, greater than that of the Mother of God ? 
" Oh, Holy Virgin," exclaims St. Bernard, " ask, 
and all things are done." And St. Peter Damian 
assures us, that Mary is so powerful in Heaven, 
that when Mary approaches the throne of God, 
even in behalf of the enemies of his divine Ma- 
jesty, (such are those in the state of mortal sin) 
she is not looked upon as a petitioner, but as one 
who may command, for Jesus the Son of Mary, 
honors his Virgin Mother so much, that he will 
deny her nothing. 

PRAYER. 

Oh, most powerful Virgin Mary of Carmel, 
your prayers in behalf of sinners are omnipotent 
with God, you can if you will make me a Saint, 
for you are the Mother of God ; will it then, oh 
merciful Virgin, ask it of your Son Jesus. I 
place all my confidence in you, do not forsake me. 

Virgin most Powerful, Pray for us. 

Pater and Jive, Glory, #c. 



124 



THIRD MEDITATION. 

Virgin Most Merciful, 

Mary is not only most powerful with God, 
but also full of mercy and clemency towards 
those who have recourse to her by humble prayer; 
she not only can, says St. Bernard, as Mother of 
God, but also has the will to assist and serve us, 
for she is our Mother also. Let him, continues 
the same Saint, (addressing the Blessed Virgin,) 
who recollects his ever having had recourse to 
you in vain, cease to join in the praises of your 
mercy. No, this clement Mother cannot be ac- 
quainted with our miseries without feeling for and 
assisting us. 

PRAYER. 

Turn, oh gracious Virgin of Carmel your eyes 
of mercy towards all the miseries of my poor 
soul ; I am nothing but sin, and merit no mercy 
from your son, our Lord Jesus Christ, having so 
often abused his grace and mercy. — He will re- 
gard your prayers in my behalf. St. Bonaven- 
ture encourages me to implore your intercession, 
when he tells me, that you are offended with 
those who do not solicit favors at your hands — 
do then I implore you most clement Virgin — 
Pray to our Lord for me, and obtain for me 
mercy and pardon of my sins. 

Virgin Most Merciful, Pray for us. 

Pater and Ave, Glory, $e 



125 

FIFTH DAY, 

Come, Holy Ghost, fyc. Prayer as in p. 114L 

FIRST MEDITATION. 

Virgin most Faithful. 

The Church of Christ puts these words in the 
mouth of the B. Virgin, (Prov. 8,) " Blessed is 
the man who watcheth daily at my gates" in 
prayer, like a mendicant at the door of the 
rich, waiting for relief. Oh were we faithful, 
like St. Simon Stock, in our devotions to this 
Mother of Mercy, we should like him find her 
most faithful in assisting us. Mary promises 
(and she is most faithful to her promises) that 
those who honor and serve Her shall be pre- 
served from sin,* and shall possess eternal life, 
— and in the words of Ecclesiasticus, (chap. 24) 
invites all to come to Her and assures them that 
" in Her is all grace of the way, and of the Truth 
— all hope of life and of Virtue." 

PRAYER. 

Holy Mother of God, encouraged by your 
invitations and gracious promises to which you are 
always most faithful, I fly to you, and most will- 
ingly place in your hands all my hopes of grace 
and glory. You have been always the most 

* Qui perantur in me non peccabunt. 
II* 



126 



faithful protectress of your order. Pray, Mother 
of Carmel, that we may be faithful observers of 
the law of God to the end of our lives. Amen. 

Virgin most Faithful,! 

Mirror of Justice, L Pray for us. 

Seat of Wisdom, J 

Pater and Jive, Glory, fyc. 



SECOND MEDITATION. 

Cause of our Joy. 

Mary was the morning Star that announced 
the rising of the Sun of Justice — Christ Jesus 
our Redeemer, who was to dispel the darkness of 
death that had overhung the Earth for 4000 years. 
Her birth after that long and saddening gloom of 
Sin, brought Joy and Gladness to the world. 
With reason then does the Church of God on the 
Feast of her Nativity sing, " thy birth, oh Virgin 
Mother of God, announced joy to the entire 
world." Mary is not only the cause, but also 
the completion of our joy — for, according to St. 
Bernard, our Lord has placed the whole price of 
his passion in the hands of his divine Mother, in 
order that our ransom should be paid through 
Her. 

PRAYER. 

Mother of Carmel ! cause of our joy and safe 
anchor of our hope, 1 rejoice that through you 
we have received the World's Redemption. I 
rejoice that you are so exalted, so powerful, and 
so dear to God, and oh how happy do I feel in 



127 



being permitted to call you Mother of the Car- 
melites. You are my joy, and my consolation, 
protect and pray for me.. 

Cause of our Joy, "*) 

Spiritual Vessel, I Pray for us. 

Honorable Vessel, 1 



Pater and Ave, Glory, <^c. 

THIRD MEDITATION. 

Vessel of singular Devotion. 

Devotion, according to St. Thomas, consists 
in the prompt resignation or obedience of our 
will to the holy will of God. This virtue saw 
the greatest of Mary's perfections, and our divine 
Redeemer insinuated as much, when in answer 
to the woman who exclaimed, " Blessed is the 
womb that bore thee," He said, " Yea, rather 
blessed are they that hear the word of God, and 
keep it," by which words, says V. Bede, our 
Lord declares, that Mary was more blessed, on 
account of the uniformity of her will to the will 
of God, than in being his mother : the holy and 
adorable will of God, was the only object, the 
only consolation of the heart of Mary ; hence in 
her canticle, she sings, " And my Spirit hath re- 
joiced in God my Saviour." 

PRAYER. 

Mary, Vessel of singular devotion, you have 
declared that, your holy Scapular should be the 



128 



bond of peace and union, between you and your 
Carmelites : but how can we pretend to this 
holy union with you, unless our will, like yours, 
be united to the holy will of God, in which alone 
is eternal life.* Pray for me, O holy Virgin of 
Carmel, that my will may henceforward be per- 
fectly conformable in all things to the divine 
will. Amen. 

Vessel of singular devotion, pray for us. 

Pater and Ave, Glory, fyc. 

Hymn and Prayer, as in page 114. 



SIXTH DAY, 

Come Holy Ghost, and Prayer, as in page 109, 

FIRST MEDITATION. 

Mystical Rose. 

The Rose, on account of its color resembling 
that of naming fire, is an emblem of the glowing 
fire of charity, hence Mary, who is ail charity, is 
called the Mystical Rose, ever-blooming because 
ever burning with love for God, and for miserable 
sinners, — what a happiness for us, to reflect with 
St. Augustine, that she is all charity, all solicitude 
for our eternal happiness : Mary, says St. Ber- 
nard, is the Spouse, whom our Lord in the Can- 

* Et Vita in voluntate ejus. 



129 



tide calls, the enclosed garden of God, she being 
the mystical Violet of humility, the Lily of purity, 
and the Rose of charity. 

PRAYER. 

Oh ! Mother of God, beauteous ever-blooming 
Rose, ornament of Carmel, you entice all to ap- 
proach you by the fragrant odours of your sanctity, 
and vivify all by the glowing heat of your charity, 
draw off, I beseech you, my affections from myself, 
and from sin, and lead me to love my God, and 
my neighbor for the love of God. Amen. 

Mystical Rose, Pray for us. 

Pater and Ave, Glory, fyc. 

SECOND MEDITATION. 

Tower of David. 

Mary, in the sacred canticle, is compared to 
the tower of David. " Thy neck is as the tower 
of David, built with bulwarks," because says St. 
Bernardine, of her eminent sanctity, and sublime 
dignity, David's tower being erected on the high 
and holy Mount Sion ; hence it is declared in the 
Psalms, (86,) that the very foundations of her 
Sanctity, are exalted above the highest mountains. 
" Her foundations are in the holy mountains," 
which interpreted by St. Gregory signifies, that 
the Mother of God possessed a higher degree of 
sanctity in the first moments of her existence, 
than the most eminent Saints did at the hour of 
their death. 



130 



PRAYER. 



I rejoice, oh supreme Queen of Angels and 
Saints, at your exalted dignity and super-eminent 
sanctity, and would be ready to lay down my life, 
if necessary, to prevent your being deprived of 
one particle of your greatness or glory. Oh, that 
I could, at the price of my blood, bring all the 
nations of the earth to know, love, and honor you 
as you merit. — Keep me under your protection, 
and pray for me. 

Tower of David pray for us. 

Pater and Jive, Glory, #c. 

THIRD MEDITATION, 

Tower of Ivory, 

Mary is also compared to a Tower of Ivory, 
" Thy neck is as a Tower of Ivory." (Cant c. 
c. 7, v. 4.) Because ivory is remarkable both 
for the beautiful whiteness of its color, and for 
its strength. Mary is spotless and amiable, be- 
cause full of grace, and strong, because she 
crushed the Serpent's head. Her neck is ex- 
pressly mentioned because the spiritual nourish* 
ment which preserves in us the life of grace, 
descends through Her, from Christ the Head, to 
us, the members of his Mystical Body ; — for as 
St. Antoninus assures us, no grace has ever been 
conferred upon man, since Mary became the 
Mother of God, unless through Mary. 



131 



PRAYER. 

Oh Holy Virgin, because you are amiable and 
dear to God, you can obtain for us whatever you 
ask ; and because terrible to the infernal spirits, 
you can free us from their snares and assaults ; 
pray then for, and defend those who glory in 
being under your powerful protection. 

Tower of Ivory, pray for us. 

Pater and Ave, Glory, fyc. 

Hymn and Prayer as in page 114. 



SEVENTH DAY, 

Come Holy Ghost, &c, and Prayer as in p. 109. 

FIRST MEDITATION, 

House of Gold. 

Gold is the emblem of divine Love ; hence 
Blessed Albert the Great calls Mary the Golden 
Temple of Charity, for, as St. Thomas remarks, 
as in the temple of Solomon every thing was 
covered with Gold, so in the soul of Mary every 
virtue was perfected by her great love for God. 
Mary was that House of Gold, which the eternal 
Wisdom of the Father prepared for his habitation 
on earth. 

PRAYER. 

Holy Virgin of Carmel, Golden Temple of 
holy Love, because you love our God so ardently, 



132 

you desire that He should be loved by all his 
creatures — you being the rich, the Golden House 
of God, can relieve all my wants ; all then I 
want, all I ask, all I crave is, that my poor heart 
may be enriched with the love of God. Re- 
member, oh Mother of Carmel, that if I love not, 
1 abide in death ; obtain for me, I beseech thee, 
the love of God, that I may live in God. Amen. 

House of Gold, Pray for us. 

Pater and Jive, Glory, <^c. 

SECOND MEDITATION. 

Ark of the Covenant. 

Mary is called the " Ark more spacious than 
that of Noah," for in it but a few select persons, 
and a limited number of animals were saved, but 
all, both sinners and saints, find a place under 
the saving protection of Mary, — This was repre- 
sented to St. Gertrude in a vision, wherein she 
saw all the wild and fierce beasts of the creation 
approaching the Queen of Heaven, who receiving 
them with mildness, and caressing them with 
blandishments, rendered them tame. Thus, our 
Blessed Lady, (as she revealed to St. Bridget) 
reeeives under her protection, sinners, no matter 
how numerous or grievous their crimes, provided 
they approach her with a sincere desire of re- 
turning to God by true repentance, she will heal 
all the wounds of their souls, and prove herself 
the Mother of Mercy, by obtaining for them 
mercy and pardon. 



133 



PRAYER OF SAINT AUGUSTINE. 

Remember, oh Mother of Mercy, that it is a 
thing unheard of that you ever forsook a sinner 
who had recourse to you for assistance ; behold 
me, a miserable sinner, who place all my hopes 
in your intercession — intercede for me, and save 
me. 

Ark of the Covenant, Pray for us. 

Pater and Jive, Glory, fyc. 

THIRD MEDITATION. 

Gate of Heaven, 

No one can enter Heaven, says St. Bonaven- 
ture, unless through Mary, hence she is called 
the " Gate of Heaven." My power, says our 
B. Lady, is in "the Heavenly Jerusalem," (Mass 
of the B. V.) obtaining what I ask, and introdu- 
cing whom I please. And St. Bonaventure says 
that " those who enjoy the favor of Mary, are re- 
cognised as citizens of Paradise, and those who 
wear her livery are written in the Book of Life. 

prayer. 

Oh Mother of God, though unworthy, I have 
the happiness of wearing the Scapular you have 
given your favored children, as a badge of your 
favor ; you are the Gate of Heaven : do not per- 
mit me, your devoted servant, to be condemned 
to Hell, there to curse you and God for eternity ; 
but open Heaven to me by your prayers, that I 

12 ' 



134 



may rejoice with you, oh Heavenly Queen, and 
sing the mercies of your Son, our Lord Jesus, 
for ever. 

Gate of Heaven, Pray for us. 

Pater and Ave, Glory, fyc. 

Hymn and Prayer, as in page 114. 



EIGHTH DAY. 

Come Holy Ghost, &c. Prayer as in page 109. 

FIRST MEDITATION. 

Morning Star. 

As the Morning Star announces the rising of 
the Sun, so does devotion towards the Mother of 
God indicate that the fire of divine love already 
blazes, or is about to be enkindled in the soul, by 
rays from the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who is the 
Sun of Justice. Mary is also called by the 
Church — " Star of the Sea," which, as explained 
by Saint Thomas, means, that as in a tempest 
the mariners are guided in their course by a 
Star, so are we directed by Mary in our voyage 
through the tempestuous ocean of this World, to 
the Port of eternal Happiness ; hence St. Ber- 
nard exhorts us, " Ever to gaze on this refulgent 
Star, unless we wish to be wrecked in the storm 
of temptation ;" and he adds, " if you follow Mary 



135 



you cannot err ; if she protects you, you need 
not fear ; if she be propitious, you will gain the 
harbor of Salvation." 



harbor of Salvation 



PRAYER. 



O ! most holy Virgin of Carmel, storms of per- 
secution have raged — billows of temptation have 
dashed with fury — the gulph of despair has 
yawned — the black and horrid tempest of sin, 
often, but in vain, menaced the destruction of 
your cherished order ; but guided by you, as- 
sisted by you, protected by you, O ! glorious 
" Star of the Sea," Saints Albert, Angel, John of 
the Cross, Teresa, Mary Magdalen de Pazzi, and 
numberless others of your children, have braved 
all dangers, and arrived safe in the port of eternal 
felicity ; look down on us we beseech you, O 
holy Virgin ! who place all our confidence in 
you, and obtain, that walking in their footsteps, 
we also may merit your protection on earth, 
with them thank and enjoy you in heaven, and 
there with you lose ourselves in the love of our 
God, through the merits of Christ — for ever. 
Amen. 

Morning Star, pray for us. 

Pater and Ave, Glory, #c. 

SECOND MEDITATION. 

Health of the Weak. 

Mary is such a tender and compassionate 



136 

mother to us, that she is not only called the 
Medicine, but the Health of the Weak, by Sts. 
Ephraim and Simon Stock, to the latter of whom, 
when giving the holy Scapular, she declared it 
would be to all Carmelites a sign of health, 
which is to be understood not merely of the 
body, but also, and more particularly, of the 
soul. This corresponds with what our B. Lady 
says of herself. (Prov. 8.) " He that shall find 
me, shall find life and shall have salvation from 
the Lord." Let us then have recourse to this 
merciful mother in all our infirmities. St. Ber- 
nard assures us, that though we be covered with 
ulcers she will not turn from us with disgust, 
but will heal all our wounds, and effect our recon- 
ciliation with God. 

PRAYER. 

Mother of God, you are the health of the 
weak; — pray then for me I beseech you, who 
am all weakness : assist and comfort me, when 
it shall please God to send me any sickness or 
infirmity, and obtain that I may bear it with 
patience and resignation : but O ! Mother of 
Mercy, cure all the maladies of my poor soul, 
by your salutary prayers, and thus render me 
pleasing in the sight of your divine Son, our 
Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Health of the weak, pray for us. 

Pater and Ave, Glory, <^c. 



137 



THIRD MEDITATION. 

Refuge of Sinners. 

Saint John Damascen says, " that Mary is not 
only mother of the innocent, and queen of saints, 
but also the refuge of sinners, who implore her 
protection." Nor will she, says St. Anselm, 
abandon them, though they are the enemies of 
God, and perhaps outcasts of the world, until 
she succeeds in obtaining their pardon from her 
Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the judge of 
the living and the dead. 

PRAYER. 

Mother of Mercy, as you are the refuge of 
all sinners, you are my refuge — you reject none 
that have recourse to you ; do not, I beseech 
you, cast me off, who am a most miserable sin- 
ner, and implore your protection. I detest, re- 
nounce, and execrate sin from the bottom of my 
heart, because by it I have offended my good 
God, and implore you, Mother of Carmel, by 
the love you have for your divine Son, and by 
all you suffered at seeing him expire on Calvary, 
to obtain for me pardon of my sins, and grace 
never more to ottend him. 

Refuge of sinners, pray for us. 
Pater and Jive — Glory, <^c. 
i Hymn and Prayer as in page 114. 

12* 



138 



NINTH J)AV. 

Come Holy Ghost, &c. Prayer as in page 109. 

Comfortess of the Afflicted. 

" O ! Mary," exclaims St. Germanus, " after 
thy Son Jesus, who is there so much interested 
for our happiness as you ? — or, who affords us 
such consolation in our afflictions?" "No," 
says Saint Bernard, " there is not among the 
saints in heaven, one, who feels so much com- 
passion for our weakness and misery, as the 
Mother of God. What comfort or consolation 
could any thing afford us, poor sinners, equal to 
that we derive from the reflection that Mary is 
our refuge ? Not only does this most merciful 
Mother of Carmel, relieve us when we call on 
her for assistance, but she anticipates ail our 
wants ; witness her consoling promise made to 
us,* that " she would, particularly on the Satur- 
day after their death, pray for the release of her 
suffering Carmelites, from the flames of purga- 
tory," 

PRAYER. 

O ! most merciful Mother of Carmel, com- 
fortess of the afflicted, behold me troubled and 
afflicted, at the sight of my past sins, and at the 
prospect of the rigorous judgment I am to un- 

* (Bull of John XXII.) Saratissime ut in Culmine. 



139 



dergo after death. The only consolation I de- 
sire or ask, is — that I may not on that dreadful 
day be separated for ever from you, O amiable 
mother, and from my God : obtain for me now 
pardon of my sins, and assist at the hour of my 
death ; — do you, O holy Virgin, receive my soul, 
and present it as one of your favorites to your 
Son, our Lord Jesus ; then he, for love of you, 
will not condemn me. 

Comfortess of the afflicted, pray for us. 

Pater and Ave — Glory, fyc. 

SECOND MEDITATION. 

Help of Christians. 

St. John Damascen calls the Blessed Virgin 
" the help of christians, ever prompt and ready 
to free them from dangers." " Mary," says 
St. Cosmas, " is omnipotent in aiding us to over- 
come sin and hell." Hence St. Bernard ex- 
claims, " O Mary ! thou art strong in battle, de- 
fending thy servants against those infernal spi- 
rits who assail them. Thou art indeed terrible 
as an army set in array." 

PRAYER. 

O ! Mother of Carmel, had I sought your 
most powerful aid, when assailed with tempta- 
tions, I should not have so often fallen a prey 
to the infernal enemy. You are the " strong 



140 



tower of David, built with bulwarks." 1 am 
now confident that I shall fall no more, for, from 
this day you shall be my strength. When 
attacked by temptations, 1 shall fly to you, O 
holy Virgin ! do you but protect and help me, 
and I shall be victorious. 

Help of Christians, pray for us. 

Pater and Ave — Glory, fyc. 

THIRD MEDITATION. 

Queen of Martyrs. 

Mary standing at the foot of the cross, on 
which her adorable Son Jesus, covered with 
blood, and full of wounds, expired for our sal- 
vation, suffered more than all the Martyrs that 
have since been put to death for the faith of 
Christ. Hence she is styled Queen of Mar- 
tyrs. No other mother could bear to stand 
and behold the tortures and agonies of a dear 
expiring child, to whom she could afford no re- 
lief : but Mary stands near the cross, until her 
dearest Jesus, her only Son, is put to death by 
the most cruel and excruciating torments — Jesus 
agonizes, and Mary offers his life to his eternal 
Father for our redemption ; but whilst He dies, 
She is in agony ; and whilst she offers, the 
sword of sorrow pierces her maternal heart, and 
causes more pain than death can inflict. 



141 



PRAYER. 



Queen of Martyrs, I beseech you by the in- 
expressible grief and anguish you suffered at the 
foot of the cross, to obtain for me sincere sor- 
row for my sins, joined with an ardent love for 
my crucified Redeemer ; and I implore you by 
that sword of grief that pierced your sacred 
heart, when your son Jesus, bowing down his 
head, expired, to intercede for me, that I may 
now die to the world, and after this life, live 
for ever in the enjoyment of God, world without 
end. Amen. 

Queen of Martyrs, pray for us. 

Mother and Queen of Carmel, pray for us. 
Pater and Jive — Glory, fyc. 
Hymn and Prayer, as in page 114. 
After Benediction the Te Deum should be sung. 



O. S. C. S. R. E. 



THE END, 




j. m. j. 

A PRAITER^^ 

O almighty and eternal God, vouchsafe 
p to bless and protect my spiritual Father, 

Rev. 

Enable him to perform his duties as a 
worthy Minister of thy Holy Altar. Pre- 
serve him, O Lord ; guide him in the 
paths of virtue ; keep him from the snares 
of his enemies, both soul and body ; and 
when that awful moment approaches when 
summoned to appear before thee, when his 
soul shall breathe forth its last breath to 
take its flight to the presence of thy Divine 
Majesty, to give an account of those souls 
thou hast placed under his care, my God, 
may nothing be found wanting on his part ; 
but as a worthy Minister of thy holy 
Church, may he be found to have per- 
formed his duties with humility, docility, 
and zeal ; and mayest thou reward his 
labors with eternal joys in thy bosom of 
glory. Amen, Sweet Jesus, Amen. 

Our Father and Hail Mary, &c. 

Pray for him, O glorious Mother, that 
he may be made worthy of the promises 
of Christ. Amen. 



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